The future of Twickenham Riverside has become a political football with the Conservative party at the head of efforts to challenge the Lib-Dem council's redevelopment.

The Council has presented its scheme on the basis it will create a new heart for Twickenham with a town square on the banks of the Thames.

It concentrates on removing cars and parking, while including two new buildings containing apartments, shops, offices, a playground, café and a pub.

However, the Conservatives are fighting the scheme on the basis they view the buildings as overbearing. They are also complaining that an existing public open space, Diamond Jubilee Gardens, will be – at least partially - built on.

The scheme is likely to be at the centre of what appears likely to be a fierce debate during local council elections in the borough next year. In the past, the Council has swung between Lib-Dem and Tory control.

The Diamond Jubilee Gardens are controlled by a Trust, led by leading figures in the community, and it may be that the area will have to be bought by the Council under a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

In its defence, the Council says the Gardens Trust will be given a new area alongside the development to be used for local families to enjoy.

The Tories have set up an online campaign and issued a leaflet challenging the Council's plans under the headline: "Diamond Jubilee Gardens Now Under Threat of CPO".

It says: "This enclosed, safe and secure events area will be relocated. Riverside flats will replace the children's playground, toilets and the Café Sunshine, which supports people with special needs."

One of the new buildings for the site on Wharf Lane will have five storeys into the roofline. The Conservatives say this is at odds with the wishes of local residents who favour low-level buildings.

The Conservatives claim the scheme could cost more than £40million to complete. They also criticise the loss of parking; what they say is too little social housing and the prospect of a new pub in the development.

The Lib-Dem council leader, Gareth Roberts, has rejected the criticism. He tweeted a picture of a previous design for the site, which was backed by local Conservatives and included a series of apartment blocks.

Cllr Roberts said schemes favoured by the Conservatives in the past had a lower proportion of social housing.

The future of the riverside has been at the centre of heated debate with local groups and political parties unable to agree on the best approach for 40 years.

Last week, one independent group with thousands of supporters, including Green campaigners, threw its weight behind the Council's scheme.

The Twickenham Riverside Park Team (TRPT) said: "Our principle demands have been met - delivering a massive shift away from car parking to a place for people.

"Attractive open spaces suitable for a range of activities; from concerts, play, markets and places to just gather, sit and relax and socialise.

"A 50/50 mix of affordable and private housing and a range of flexible office, retail and hospitality spaces anchor the proposals and will bring life back to a neglected and underused site."

However, the Riverside Action Group (RAG), which was set up in 2015 and insists it represents residents across Twickenham and Richmond, has raised concerns.

A newsletter from RAG is particularly critical to the two apartment blocks planned on the site, describing one as 'overbearing'.

The group questioned the need to include a pub in the scheme, arguing there are already many others in the area, while raising concerns that drinkers will spill out into the surrounding open spaces.

RAG said the development will also have significantly less green area than exists at the moment for people to enjoy.

They added: "Overall, our impression is that the effect of the Council's proposal will not create a development which fits with the particular characteristics of Twickenham riverside."

Details of the plan and information on how to comment can be found here.