A FESTIVAL to celebrate a Tottenham Hale park will go ahead this week despite its future being under threat.

Down Lane Park Summer Festival, to be held this Sunday, promises fun for all the family with a football tournament, henna painting and magicians.

There will also be an opportunity to get more information on locally-grown organic produce and allotments and advice on cycling with free bike checks.

But the party comes while fans of the park are at odds with Haringey Council because of plans to use the southern part of the open space for a housing development.

In cabinet papers concerning the transformation of deprived Tottenham Hale, the council has touted the demolition as a "land swap" that would help it capitalise on the accessibility to Tottenham Hale Tube and train stations.

It has proposed to extend the park on the Ashley Road depot when it is demolished in 2012/2013.

The council made assurances there would be no "overall net loss of publicly-accessible open space".

Council leader Claire Kober said: "I met with the Friends of the Park in July to hear their concerns regarding the Greater Ashley Road area development.

"In addition to proposals to develop parkland closest to Tottenham Hale station and increase space elsewhere, we are looking into other options, which we will share with local people as soon as we can.

"We do not have a pre-determined view and no formal decision will be made until late this year or early 2010. To be clear whichever option is taken forward there would be no net loss of open space.

"We are keen to actively engage local residents in this important consultation exercise.

"It is central to our ambitions for Tottenham Hale that we improve parks and other public spaces and I am determined that we get the best possible outcome for local people."

Event organiser Martin Ball said: "We are having a summer festival to celebrate Down Lane Park as a vital resource for the community and look forward to having a fun event."

The Down Lane Park 2009 Summer Festival will be held at Down Lane Park, Tottenham Hale N17, between 1 and 6pm on Sunday, August 16.