Two fifths of Bexley's Old Farm Park will be sold, the council has said.
The hugely important decision was announced at a council meeting on March 15 and concluded on April 12 at a full cabinet meeting.
The park will be the first of 26 green spaces - earmarked for development by Bexley Council in a bid to plug a £3.4m funding gap over three years - to be sold.
There has been resistance to the sell-off throughout the public consultation period
Malcolm Wright, 43, of Old Farm Avenue, who is a member of the Save Old Farm Park pressure group said: “The council could have handled this far far better with the local community.
“If you start to dig into the detail, you can highlight where the council has not been properly communicating.”
On the issue of limited communication surrounding the Old Farm Park sale, the council argues that its methods were in accordance with statute.
Cabinet member Councillor Peter Craske, told News Shopper that the council is disposing of land totalling 2.3 hectares out of a possible 623 hectares.
Of the 26 sites being disposed of, 17 are not open space but sections of Highway, the councillor claims.
Cllr Craske said: “Every penny the disposals raise will be reinvested in maintaining our parks, open spaces and playgrounds.
“I entirely understand why the people who live near the park feel the way they do.
“I do not want to be in this position where we have to do this but the budget has been cut 92 per cent and by 2020 we will have no money from government.”
Tooting MP Sadiq Khan met with protestors who are upset with the decision
No buyers have been aligned with the park’s purchase, despite the move to sell off more than 40 per cent of the park being concluded by the council, much to the disappointment of Sadiq Khan, Labour’s candidate for London Mayor.
Mr Khan, who visited demonstrators last week, said: “The worry is that this will be the first of many such sell-offs around south-east London as Tory councils try to make a quick buck on public assets.
“Nearby Bromley Council has plans to build on no fewer than 17 protected sites – it’s a concerted assault on precious green land.”
In response to the mayoral candidate’s visit, Mr Craske said: “It is nice Mr Khan has finally found the time to visit Bexley.”
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