A campaign group has risen from the soil to try and save hundreds of trees from the chop at Gunnersbury Park.

Save Trees in Gunnersbury (Stig) was launched after more than 100 people attended a public meeting over plans to sell part of the picturesque park for private development.

To pay for the redevelopment of the park, and its deteriorating buildings, officials claim 5.6 acres of park land along Lionel Road North must be sold for housing.

But after anger reached boiling point at the meeting, last month, Stig was formed to try and stop the loss of the green space, along with more than 400 trees.

Stig memberm Lucy Collinsm said: “Under pressure from English Heritage to redevelop neglected listed buildings in the park, Ealing and Hounslow Councils hired consultants to find a way to make the park pay for itself, no matter what.

“But in order to make it pay for itself, we must accept the loss of hundreds of beautiful trees that will never come back. No way. A park is a public amenity – not an accounting profit centre.”

A consultation was sent out to households at the start of the summer asking for people’s views on the proposal, which would see the deteriorating mansion house turned into a function space and restaurant and the small mansion house transformed into Gunnersbury Museum.

However Stig is calling on Hounslow and Ealing councils, which jointly run the park, to widen the scope of the study; allow funding from other budgets and to consult more “frankly” with the public.

Brentford resident Martin McCloghry said “This consultation was pushed through in the summer holidays and it leads you to agree to sell off the park for housing as if it were the only real option.

“Local people have good reason to be suspicious and need to get involved now.”

Brentford ward Councillor Matt Harmer, who sits on the Gunnersbury Park Regeneration Board, said he was interested to hear the views of the consultation including those of Stig.

He said: “I’m aware of the group and they’re going to be an interesting part of the consultation.

“It can be certain that their views will be noted.

”The two council executives need to make some decisions which will be monitored closely by all the councillors, all residents and all the campaign groups.”

A council spokeswoman said: “There is no obligation to answer all the questions, but we would welcome as many comments from the community as possible and all comments and suggestions will be considered before any decisions are made.”

The consultation questionnaire is available at hounslow.gov.uk/gunnersbury.

To find out more about Stig email stig2009contact@googlemail.com or visit stig-savetreesingunnersbury.blogspot.com.