PLANS to redevelop a former football ground for homes and community use are being opposed by most people.

Greenwich Council says it has received almost 600 responses supporting its policy to retain the Gaelic Athletic football ground in Avery Hill Road, New Eltham, as community open space.

During the consultation on draft changes to its Unitary Development Plan (UDP), only 111 responses have been received from people who would like to see the site redeveloped.

Councillors in Bexley have also thrown their support behind efforts to retain the former football ground as community open space.

Residents' action group Residents Against Gaelic Environmental Destruction (Raged) hoped it had found a new user for the site when Villacourt Rovers, who had been homeless since 2001, was looking for a new ground.

But two days before the UDP consultation deadline Villacourt, one of London's oldest junior football clubs, withdrew and said it had found a more suitable ground elsewhere.

The New Eltham football ground, owned by the Gaelic Athletic Association, has been a battleground for developers since 1968, when it was still part of Bexley borough.

Now in Greenwich after boundary changes, last year a planning inspector recommended the 12.8 acre site should be designated for mixed use, including housing, along the lines of plans by developer Novalong, which is hoping to build 261 homes on the land.

At first Greenwich supported the change but after pressure from Raged it has now changed its mind and wants to keep the site as open space.

A public inquiry is expected to consider the future of the site later this year.