"At risk" Morden Park is being handed back to the council at the end of this year, but the community that fought hard to protect it has offered new hope for redevelopment.

Merton Council has said it cannot afford to pay for improvements to the park and, although it is considering its options, is likely to only provide low-level maintenance to the existing park.

But the News can reveal an alliance of parish churches, the mosque and Merton College, is backing proposals for new sports facilities to be built on the park.

Discussions revealed an intent to ensure the park's playing fields, which Morden's community succeeded in preventing being turned into a golf driving range last year, will be safeguarded.

When permission for the driving range was refused London Playing Fields Society (LPFS) said the burden of providing moral and financial upkeep of the park would have to be shouldered by Merton Council.

An LPFS spokesman said it was "very reluctantly"

relinquishing the lease on December 31.

Proposals for any future development are in the early stages but focus on building a sports hall alongside the college with an entrance on London Road, allowing the park's dilapidated changing rooms to be upgraded.

The Rev Ray Skinner, chairman of the Morden Park and Playing Fields Association and rector of Morden team parish, said: "It will provide 21st century rooms for the playing fields and football and badminton facilities and hopefully a skateboard area.

"We wanted to propose something that would make use of the whole park and preserve the playing fields as given to the community by Gilliat Hatfield.

"Three groups are putting in the seed money but this would be an attractive proposal for someone like Sport England who we hope could give us backing and pay for the rest."

He has pledged money to pay for building consultants and is considering putting a £100,000 legacy towards the project.

The Baitul Futuh mosque has confirmed that it would financially back proposals for a sports hall.

A spokesman said: "We are more than happy to add our weight."

A council spokesman said it was "disappointed" LPFS was giving up the lease but it would check the society continued to maintain the park until then.

It said it had not yet considered any plans for the park's future.

nparis@london.newsquest.co.uk