A GROUP aiming to turn part of a derelict Lye car park into a children's play area is claiming overwhelming support from residents - while another campaigner maintains he has collected a 100-name petition against the plan.

The Vicarage and Valley Road Friends Group, which has won £6,000 of community funding from Dudley Council, says it has surveyed all 127 homes in the two streets near the site.

And it has produced survey forms showing at least 109 residents in Vicarage Road and Valley Road are in favour of the proposed play space on the car park next to the junction of the two streets.

Meanwhile Muhammad Ali, aged 34, a property investor who lives in Valley Road, claims to have collected a 100-name petition in the area against the scheme on the grounds that it could cause a "danger" to children and attract antisocial behaviour.

Lye and Stourbridge North Councillor Mohammed Hanif has been championing the proposal to turn the rear part of the overgrown car park, running alongside Lye Bypass and Valley Road, into a play space, including a roundabout, swings and a slide.

He said talks were continuing with the council to get the land transferred so it becomes the responsibility of the "Friends" group, which would then clear the overgrown site.

Some parking would remain at the front of the site but the rear section would be landscaped and the play equipment installed.

"It would get children off the streets and stop them kicking a ball against walls or windows," said Cllr Hanif.

In an email to the councillor, Sgt Lynn Couldrey, of West Midlands Police's Lye and Stourbridge North Neighbourhood Team, supported the "Friends'" proposal, adding: "The younger local children would benefit greatly from a play area which they could attend with their parents and this would also provide an area where parents could meet other parents in the area on a social basis."

Sam Billingham, chairman of the "Friends" group, who used to live in Vicarage Road but recently moved to nearby Thorns Road, said: "Having lived in Vicarage Road for four years with my nine-year-old daughter, Tegan, I know there's nothing local for children to do.

"I thought the play area would be ideal and, even though we have moved, we still have friends there and I want to support them in getting somewhere for the children to play."

The group says it recently surveyed all 69 homes in Vicarage Road and 58 in Valley Road and produced responses showing 51 households in Vicarage Road and 37 in Valley Road were in favour of the play area plan.

Only one resident in Vicarage Road and five in Valley Road said they were against the proposal and the group plans to return to homes where nobody was in when they called.

But Mr Ali said he had collected a petition of more than 100 names against the play area.

He said: "The play area would be next to the main road and it could be a danger to children. It could also attract antisocial behaviour.

"People all want some kind of development on the site to enhance the look of the area - but they are against a play area."

He has also been challenging the way the "Friends" group has been set up, claiming he has not had answers to questions he has posed to Cllr Hanif, such as a request for the names of board members.

But Cllr Hanif insisted Mr Ali had been shown all of the relevant information during a meeting in July and he would be invited, along with other local residents to a further meeting to update on progress.