The battle to save an area of Morden Park intensified on Sunday as 250 people protested against Merton Council’s plan to convert a section into a floodlit football centre.

A protest picnic was heralded as a success by organisers as the community gathered to discuss how to continue their campaign against the proposals.

Goals Soccer Centres were awarded the lease to an area of the park earlier in the year, paving the way for a football centre complete with licensed bar to be built, although a planning decision has not yet been made.

Organiser Jackie Schneider said: “Everyone at the event felt that it’s unacceptable to be putting a public resource like a park into the hands of a private company which won’t be interested in the needs of the community but the need to make money.

“I mean Goals is a company that makes 30 per cent of its revenue from bar sales alone.”

Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond added his support to the campaign passing on a message of support on the morning of the protest.

He said: “Morden Park is an open space to treasure whose sports facilities clearly do need some upgrading.

“But I believe that the local residents wishes must be heard. There are excellent alternatives to the council’s proposed plan.”

Imran Uddin from Bait-ul-Futuh Mosque, which is strongly opposed to the plans, said at the event: “Today has been a wonderful demonstration of the whole community coming together. It is a community resource and it looks like the community will have to fight to keep it.”

Councillor Maurice Groves, cabinet member for community services, said: “Goals have a proven track record of running sites like this and I think it’s an excellent opportunity for the whole community.

“They won the lease in a fair competition and the proposed development is within a conservation area, so there are plenty of safeguards that will protect the environment.”

Goals Soccer Centres was contacted for comment but have so far not responded.