Sports clubs are in fear of being priced out by a proposal to lease out the Rosehill Recreation Ground astroturf pitch to a third party.

A motion to seek private companies to lease the council-owned sports pitch was due to be approved by the Sutton local committee last night.

Deputy leader of the council Councillor Colin Hall said the all-weather pitch was in disrepair.

"We can't afford to get the sports pitch back up to a good standard as it will cost about £40,000 and sporting bodies would like us to provide football pitches in that area," said Coun Hall.

Council documents also reveal that there has been a rise in anti-social behaviour around the pitch and that people were beginning to use it without paying for a permit.

Coun Hall said that he was interested in hearing from companies such as Rosehill Tennis Centre and Powerleague to manage the site.

"We could look at bringing in a company like Powerleague who will divide the pitch into smaller pitches where young people find it attractive to play," he said.

But Richard Chacksfield who hires the pitch for training sessions for St Helier Youth Football Club and Carshalton Little League said a price hike on these pitches could spell disaster.

"At the moment we pay £64 for a training session on the whole pitch. Companies like Powerleague and Goals can divide up the pitch and charge £50 an hour for a quarter of the pitch.

"While we wouldn't mind paying a little bit more for an improved pitch I'm concerned it will become out of the price range of local teams as 85 per cent of our boys are from the St Helier estate," he said.

Coun Hall said he could not say how much it would cost to hire out the pitch but added that it was important to provide affordable sports facilities all over the borough.