Residents and community groups have until August 28 to make use of the Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden, after an eviction notice was placed on the site ahead of building work.

The Lewisham Council-owned garden in New Cross forms in part of controversial regeneration plans which were submitted in 2016.

The plans include the demolition of 16 homes at Reginald House and the Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden to make way for a 209-home development.

Save Tidemill Campaign spokeswoman Harriet Vickers said the community was trying to negotiate a later eviction date with the council, as there were many events planned on the site this summer.

“We re trying to negotiate with them [for a later eviction date] because we know the contractors won’t be on site then,” she said.

“We have loads of events planned. It is open at least every weekend and in the week because of the weather. We have just had an event for Jamaica’s Independence Day.”

She said the community was saddened by the eviction notice.

“We expected it [but] it is still gutting to see it, we have got so much going on at the moment,” she said.

“When you go down and spend time there and see what it means to people, it does hurt.”

The campaign group was launching a crowdfunder in order to file for a judicial review, she said.

It wants a legal review of the decision to develop on green space, and the association with a development on Amersham Vale.

“We are just pulling together that case. People are willing to fight for it,” she said.

The council  negotiated new deadlines for developments at Tidemill and Amersham Vale with developers Peabody and Sherrygreen Homes, after the initial plans expired last month.

Lewisham Council was concerned developers could take legal action to recover £3 million spent on a new public park and design costs as part of the original plans.

The Old Tidemill Garden was only ever made available for short-term use for residents, according to Lewisham Council documents, but is a popular local facility.

Developer Peabody would “fully engage” the community about open spaces in the development and how they will be managed.

Cllr Joe Dromey said the development would go towards shortening the number of families waiting for homes in the borough.

“The housing crisis is the biggest challenge facing our community. We have 10,000 households on the waiting list for a council home and we have 2,000 homeless households. They deserve a home.

“This development at the Old Tidemill School will provide over 100 new social homes for those most in need in our community. These will be good homes, at genuinely affordable rents, on lifetime tenancies.

“We will only tackle the Tory housing crisis if we build more social housing. I’m looking forward to seeing the tenants move in to their new home and building a better life for their families in our community.”