Lambeth council is to submit a new planning proposal for a modern artificial football pitch in Brockwell Park near the lido.
It withdrew its first application after widespread criticism and concern about its impact on wildlife and the nature of the park.
The pitch would be illuminated by LED lights on 12-metre high poles.
The chosen site takes up all of a 50-year-old disused “cinder” football pitch and part of a wildflower meadow created on another, neighbouring, cinder pitch.
The park’s BMX track is on the site of a third former pitch.
Four months of community engagement will precede publication of the council’s new proposals, which will include more graphics showing how the pitch would appear.
A council spokesperson said: “Having listened to community feedback on plans for the new football pitch in Brockwell Park we have withdrawn the initial planning application.
“To progress this proposal, we will now focus on engaging with the community about the proposal, as well as carrying out extra surveying work and creating more visual representations.
“We are confident that the concerns raised can be addressed and that a much needed new pitch to replace the existing cinder one, which is no longer up to scratch, will benefit our young people.”
“We also believe this can be done in a way that improves the park’s biodiversity and with a design that will not disrupt Brockwell’s historic nature.
“The council plans to carry out this work over the next four months with the aim of having a new planning proposal to follow.”
Impetus for the scheme came from a national planning exercise and the total cost would be about £800,000 with £200,000 of this coming from the council and the rest from the Football Foundation.
The council would be responsible for the expensive maintenance of the pitch which is made of large quantities of former vehicle tyres.
The council would directly manage the new pitch, with a full schedule of programmed activities. Many of these will be provided by key community partners, primarily the St. Matthew’s Project, at no or low cost to participants.
