Thousands of Southfields residents are rallying to save their village businesses, after a series of planning applications for flats was lodged with Wandsworth Council.

A petition, started by Michelle Koratz, calls on the village's MP Justine Greening to stop the plans for 233, 235A-237A, 239 and 245 Wimbledon Park Road, which would convert basements and part of the ground floors into a flats, with a front section for retail in each building.

Wandsworth Times:

The petition, which has attracted more than 5,000 signatures, states: "Please Wandsworth Council, can you look to make Southfields Village as characteristic and attractive as these other parts of London starting by saving these local shops.

"I don't know what tourists who come to visit the Wimbledon Museum must think when they see it. For the sake of residents, businesses and tourists, these changes should not take place."

According to the application filed with the council, there will be no change to the shopping facilities in the area.

Currently occupying the units are a French delicatessen called Chanteroy, Swan Drycleaners and Coral, the bookmakers.

Councillor Malcolm Grimston said: "This is a real test of the council's commitment to our smaller town centres. Southfields, like so many areas in Wandsworth, depends on substantial independent shops for our economy and our sense of local community.

"Sadly government regulations clearly favour big business over local communities - we need to redress that balance and fight for our local companies."

Objections include one from Peter and Jane Wingfield who said: "To loosen planning restrictions in order to provide housing is all very well on paper, but not when it amounts to decimating a vibrant local community with an already dwindling number of independent shops.

"The space allocated would be insufficient for most businesses, as well as obscuring the amount of natural light available to the residential part of the building behind.

"Such pernicious schemes should be nipped in the bud before they proliferate any further; the proposals should all be summarily rejected."

Clare James, of Elsenham Street, said: "I've enjoyed the village feel that the shops bring to the area. This development is totally unnecessary and the planning permission should not be granted.

"It is a great shame that the independent local retailers are the victims in this situation."

Three of the four submitted planning applications are registered, and one is invalid, according to the council website.

According to the applications, the proposed changes are allowed under change of use legislation within planning law.

Southfields Business Forum has called an open meeting on Thursday June 16, 7pm, at St Barnabas Church, 146 Lavenham Road.