From players to councillors to concerned residents, it was standing room only at Vestry Hall Monday night as plans were revealed to build a 70-bed hotel opposite the oldest cricket green in the world.

Members of the Mitcham Cricket Club have been in a decade long battle with Phoenix Investments Ltd since it purchased the freehold of the pavilion, an unused nearby carpark and a Grade II listed pub a decade ago, all three of which sit opposite the 333-year-old Mitcham Cricket Green.

But at last night's meeting it wasn't the hotel itself which was the main problem, nor was it the plans to refurbish the Burn Bullock pub. No, what had the 80-odd people who showed up to the meeting up in arms was the pavilion and the future of the club.

"It’s absolute rubbish that they can’t renegotiate a lease," Mitcham's club captain Damian Greenall told the Wimbledon Guardian.

"It’s really quite simple, if we were allowed to have the bit to the back, the end of the shed, all the way down the side with a lease, we can then start building.

"It would be something for the whole community, could be used 365 days of the year, somewhere you can bring lots of different cultures together and create something because there is sod all around here."

During the meeting, several times over it was said by a representative of Phoenix that there would be no discussions regarding a lease or rent until planning permission for the site had been approved.

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This was echoed by Marcus Beale, the architect hired to design the new project and also the man chairing the consultation.

"Once a comprehensive plan for the whole site has achieved planning consent, the owners of the site will be pleased to discuss a lease or rent with you," he said.

This angered the crowd who cried out "it should be the other way round," gesturing that a lease should be agreed upon before any planning permission is granted.

But one suggestion later on may have paved the way for an agreement between club and developer.

A member of the public brought up an idea that a contract should be drawn up and a clause placed in it regarding the lease to enable both parties to move forward.

Mr Beale agreed this was a sensible move.

"The owners of the site and their partners should begin discussions with the cricket club about the future terms of the lease or freehold of the site," he said.

"That discussion should start now."

Mitcham's chairman, Peter White Young was hopeful terms could be negotiated, but also wary as he said the club has been burned before.

"It is now dependent upon a constructive discussion about terms that would enable us to continue," he said.

"They say that they want us to stay, but I need something in writing.

"The reality is that it could be years before planning is seen through and in action.

"The pavilion is an asset of community value, it’s only ever been a cricket pavilion. I’m not saying it’s the greatest building in the world, but we can’t start start spending money on the building if we’re never going to be allowed to keep it."

He said on the cricket field there were some big plans ahead for the club.

"Lashings are coming here, they’ll be here in September," he said.

"And there is some word that they’ll be hoping to make it an annual event on the green.

"I’d love that because it means we’re still here."