Hopes to replace the derelict pavilion at Moormead with a new community building and café hang in the balance.

Council officials are recommending that a planning application from the Moormead Community & Sports Pavilion should be refused.

Residents are encouraging supporters of the scheme to lobby councillors who will have a final say on the scheme at a planning committee meeting tomorrow - Wednesday.

More than 1,000 people have contacted the Council to support the initiative on the park in St Margaret's.

It is supported by five local schools, local Councillors, junior sports teams and Sport Richmond, who have expressed 'surprise' at a recommendation from Council officials to block the scheme.

The proposal would involve demolition of existing pavilion and replacement with a single storey community pavilion to accommodate a cafe and kiosk, community space, storage space for sports equipment, public toilets and storage space.

The existing pavilion is thought to have been built around 1940 and is now effectively derelict and unused, but for the storage of some sports equipment.

A Council planning official has objected to the new scheme, arguing the new building will be dominated by a café' rather than offering support for sporting activities in the park, such as football and cricket.

As a result, he says it would 'constitute inappropriate development' on what is Metropolitan Open Land (MOL).

He adds: "The benefits of the scheme put forward by the applicant, whilst acknowledged and

welcome, are not considered to clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt or any other harm."

A number of senior Lib-Dem councillors have publicly backed the scheme. And it is possible for councillors to overrule the recommendation to reject the scheme under a 'Very Special Circumstance' (VSC) case. However, the planning officer argues that there are not sufficient grounds to do so.

The Moormead Community and Sports Pavilion group argue the new building will provide a facility for the whole community.

The idea is that it would be used by local schools, churches, sports organisations and providers of other services.

The chairman of Sport Richmond, Andy Sutch, said he was 'surprised' that Council officials are opposing the scheme.

He added: "The perception of what I would describe as a community hub, with toilets, safe and dry indoor space, storage capacity for sports equipment and refreshments would seem to me an entirely

appropriate, 21st century, ancillary facility to a playing field in Metropolitan Open Land and meet

the exception criteria of the National Planning Policy Framework. This facility is directly ancillary to

the formal and informal use of the open space."

A joint letter from five local schools - St Mary's, Orleans Primary School, St Stephen's School, Sir Richard Reynolds, Chase Bridge Primary – backs the proposal.

It states: "The development of the pavilion is absolutely necessary to sustain our school community

sporting activities in the longer term and should be considered as "very special circumstances".

"The benefits to our children of having access to team sports, combined with the positive influence gained by the involvement of a considerable number of parent volunteers, are immeasurable.

"The addition of toilets will help include children who may currently be excluded due to additional needs and the creation of a café will provide a social hub for parents and carers to meet, encouraging visits to the park and promoting physical activity for the children."