A PETITION has been signed by 120 residents protesting against a proposed road closure as part of the Sydenham Gateway development.

The Sydenham Society put forward the proposal to Lewisham Council last year to transform Cobbs Corner roundabout and Venner Road into a pedestrianised, tree-lined area.

Now the council has secured £130,000 from Transport for London for design work, which is due to begin later this year.

But residents do not want Spring Hill Road to be closed off as part of the development.

They say it will cause major congestion problems in surrounding roads.

And they have signed a petition, handed to the full council on March 1, asking it not to close Spring Hill.

Alex Mairs, 49, of Peak Hill Gardens, Sydenham, said: "If they close it I won't be able to get out onto the main road.

"We will have to go up roads such as Collingtree Road. It'll be an absolute nightmare."

She added: "It will cause terrible congestion for the school nearby as well."

Residents are also angry they were not consulted by the Sydenham Society before it spoke to the council.

Mrs Mairs, a grandmother-of-four, added: "We weren't consulted at all.

"No-one from the society came down to ask us what we think.

"We live in these roads and know what it's like."

Sydenham Society chairman Pat Trembath sympathises with residents' concerns but says it is now up to the council how the scheme develops.

She said: "I understand their problems but it was only an idea we put to the council, which it has taken on board and is now responsible for dealing with it.

"We expect the council to consult fully with the residents."

A council spokesman said: "While the creation of open space by the closure of Spring Hill Road was included in the bid there is no worked-up scheme for this closure.

"Our aim is to secure as much consensus as possible about what should be done."