A football club is to submit £1m plans for a new ground in a Sutton park.

Sutton Common Rovers wants to install an all-weather pitch, a clubhouse and a covered stand for spectators in Reigate Avenue Recreation Ground, near the Plough pub.

The semi-professional club, which currently plays its Combined Counties Premier Division matches at Sutton United's Gander Green Lane ground, is to submit a planning application on Friday.

It hopes to use the 3G pitch for its home matches and training but has also promised to allow the public to hire the facilities.

Glenthorne High School had planned to use the land to expand its own facilities, but has now joined forces with Sutton Common Rovers to work on the new proposal.

The club, which also wants to install a car park on the land, would allow to school free use of the pitch on weekdays.

Justin Salmon, development officer at Sutton Common Rovers, said: “It’s a fantastic proposal. It’ll really be something for the community.

"Sutton residents will get a discount, Glenthorne will be able to use the pitch for free between Monday to Friday and it will have full disability access.

“We have put £1m together to pay all the costs, so the whole area will be able to benefit from having it as we only need it for about 16 hours a week."

But the proposal could face resistance from some locals who are concerned about the loss of park space.

Ian Brain, 60, of Reigate Avenue, said: “I am totally opposed to the plan because I think it should be used as a park space. What they are claiming is that the park is filled with dog poo and drug dealers, but it’s not it’s a really lovely park.

“When I said I was against the plan on Sutton Rover’s website I was called all things under the kitchen sink and I’m sorry, but that’s not how a democracy works.

“The other problem is that I don’t think many people around here know about it. My mum’s home backs onto the park and she had no idea about it whatsoever.”

But Mr Salmon, 39, said he believed most people supported the club's plans.

He added: "I’d say that about 90 per cent of people are supportive of it and the other 10 per cent want to have it as park space, or don’t know much about the proposal.”

Draining the land and installing pitch would cost the club about £550,000, with the construction of the clubhouse and stand estimated at £450,000.

Under the proposals, the school would get free usage of the pitch for 42.5 hours a week, while Sutton residents could hire the facilities for up to allocated 29.5 hours a week at a reduced rate.

Sutton Common Rovers would use the pitch for about 16 hours and charities would be able to use the pitch for free for three hours a week.