Plans for a controversial new mosque in Worcester Park have been met with fierce opposition.

Businesses and residents have joined forces to sign a petition to ensure the plans do not go ahead.

Petitions have been seen in various shops along Central Road which claim the increased traffic would bring the area to a stand still.

Sutton Council has received a submission for a place of worship at numbers 2-4 Green Lane.

Although the council are yet to confirm plans are for a mosque, the drawings which have been submitted include plans for a male and a female prayer room.

Businesses in the area are concerned that the ward's already-creaking transport infrastructure will be pushed to its limits.

Mustapha Hussain, manager at Kingfish, on Green Lane, said: "There has to be provisions in place to allow for the increased traffic.  People need somewhere to park, and if that isn't accounted for, I'm against the plans."

Council requirements for the site state that proposed developments must have limited or no parking, "provided the council is satisfied that this will not result in an increase in on-street parking."

The petitions site traffic as the main issue, but scratch a little under the surface, and a different picture becomes clear.

One businessman said: "It's not just the traffic but I'm being diplomatic. This can not happen."

Back in 2009, the idea of building a mosque was touted on Green Lane but plans were never submitted, despite a group of company directors, collectively called Worcester Park Islamic Community Centre, buying a building for £250,000 in November 2009.

A council spokesman confirmed: "We have received an application and officers are currently looking into it."

Worcester Park Councillor, Roger Roberts, said: "We know that residents have serious concerns about traffic and parking and they will expect that to be considered very carefully in the application process."