LAND owners have defended plans to sell off a children's playground and school playing fields after rising concern over vanishing green spaces and outdoor leisure facilities.

Greg Martin, a deputy head at Great Marlow School, said the land sale would increase the total sport provision and enable the school to invest in better facilities such as a modern sports hall and all weather pitch that could be used by pupils and the community all year round.

Mr Martin said Sport England and the Department for Educations and Skills gave their backing for the sale.

He said: "The field on Wycombe Road is not suitable to use as a playing pitch, it has never been used as one because it slopes."

Bob Savidge, executive member of The Marlow Society responsible for environment, said: "It's mad to take away a playing field. The eastern side of town has been identified by Wycombe District Council as being deficient of green space.

"If the school needs a new sports hall the county council should be made to pay for it. The Marlow Society is totally against the sale of playing fields and the sale of Dedmere Rise playground for housing."

Marlow Town Council is also about to consider a report into the state of the pitch at Gossmore Park after a footballer cut himself on a flint last year. Marlow United are currently unable to play matches on the surface because of health and safety reasons.

Alan Turner, of Marlow United FC said: "The problem it causes Marlow Utd FC is not training, but actual matches being played and it is likely that both our 2nd and 3rd teams will have to fold."

The club asked Sir William Borlase and Great Marlow schools for temporary use of their pitches, but both were fully booked. It also contacted Wycombe District Council for help finding a pitch, but had not had a response as we went to press last night. Maidenhead and Windsor Borough Council said their pitches were also fully booked.

Howard Bellairs, town clerk, said: "Gossmore Park surface is repairable and we are meeting with the Marlow Association of Amateur Football Clubs the week after next to discuss the site report we commissioned last year."

Marlow Town Council moved the playground at Dedemere Rise to Newfield Gardens and plans to build housing on the former site.

Mr Bellairs said: "The council had a public survey done and that was where people said they wanted a playground. The old equipment needed replacing and the sale of the land will be used by Marlow Town Council for the benefit of the community, for anything, community, leisure. So we are not losing anything."

A lack of money has lead to fears that Riley Recreation Ground may also be lost for future generations.

Tony Shannon, a Riley Rec trustee, said: "We are faced with very considerable financial challenges. We have grown our relative income in the last two years from £2,000 to £10,000 in relative terms, but costs have also risen. We applied for lottery funding and were turned down. We are applying again and we will just have to keep patching it up in the mean time."

Mr Savidge said: "If the trustees are not helped in some way the park may fall into disrepair and reach a point where it is deemed unsafe. Health and safety will then shut it down, not now, but some time in the future." Mr Shannon added: "The risk is it will become more and more run down, but we are optimistic of finding a long term solution."

As reported last week The Marlow Forum is worried that plans to site a skate park in Higginson Park next to the cricket club would permanently restrict use by other park users. Mike Barlow, chairman of Marlow Cricket Club, said it would be potentially dangerous as skaters would be at risk from flying balls when they had up to 100 of their kids practicing on a Friday night.