A PROPOSAL to concrete over a portion of a Tottenham park to make way for a housing development has led to a split between Haringey's Labour councillors.

Tottenham Hale ward councillors Sheik Thompson and Alan Stanton attended a summer festival to celebrate Down Lane Park on Sunday where they encouraged residents to sign a petition against the plans proposed by the cabinet — which includes deputy leader and fellow ward councillor Lorna Reith.

The earmarked land at the centre of the dispute is currently home to the children's playground but is also in close proximity to Tottenham Hale Tube and train station as well as the bus interchange. This would boost the value of the houses, council documents revealed.

The development, a Haringey Council project partially funded by the London Development Agency, could also force a relocation of the Pavillion Pre-school Community Nursery, in Park View Road.

Following outrage from conservationists and Friends of Down Lane Park, council leader Claire Kober conceded and announced there would be a public consultation. She insists there will be no "net loss" of green space as the park would be extended onto the former Ashley Road recycling depot.

Councillor Alan Stanton said: "I am not a surveyor but I have seen the plans and the park certainly looks like it's losing out. Developers are proposing enclosing some of the park in the middle of the housing development and that is not a straight land swap. Open land for public access is not the same as a park. I think even the leader was taken aback by what had been proposed.

"I don't know how plans got to this stage. I can't get my head around it. If ward councillors had been spoken to we would have made it clear that no one is in favour of these plans."

Sean Sullivan, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Tottenham, criticised the rebel councillors for not doing enough to represent residents' views.

Mr Sullivan said: "What was galling on Sunday was the large number of Labour councillors, activists and would-be politicians strutting around opposing the plan and encouraging people to sign a petition against it. Their time would be better spent stopping their own leaders from continuing with this mad plan.

"To save the park for future generations local residents should tell Labour they don't stand a chance in Tottenham Hale until this plan is dropped and the park's future is guaranteed".

A formal decision sealing the park's future will be made at the end of the year or early 2010.