Plans to build a main super sewer drive shaft on Barn Elms playing fields have been shelved following a popular public campaign to protect the greenfield site.

After months of concerted pressure, and more than 16,000 objections, Thames Water has now selected an alternative brownfield site as its first choice location for the seven-year £3.6bn Thames Tunnel.

Unlike Barn Elms, this is semi-derelict industrial land with no wildlife, no sports pitches and no vegetation to disturb.

MPs, councillors and more than 16,500 people who signed a petition to save the plot of land from development, were delighted by the water company's decision to remove the recreation grounds from being a preferred site for a dreaded drive shaft allowing access for tunnel drilling equipment.

Members of campaign group Stop the Shaft (StS), who tirelessly petitioned to keep Barn Elms sewer entrance free and highlighted it was an inappropriate choice of site for a construction project of this scale, said they were pleased the views of the people had been acknowledged.

Sian Baxter, StS chairman, said: “The proposal to protect one natural habitat, at the expense of another, was always nonsensical. “It is so important to conserve our beautiful, green spaces - our city would be a soulless and unhappy place without them".

Putney MP Justine Greening said “This is a real victory for our local community. I am delighted Thames Water has taken on board our local concerns and made sensible changes to the proposals to make the Thames Tunnel sites much more sustainable and in keeping with the surrounding areas.

"Barns Elms is a greenfield site used by thousands of local children and families every week. It would have been terrible to see this fantastic playing fields ripped up by a main drive shaft construction."

Ravi Govindia, the leader of Wandsworth Council, has welcomed the change of heart but emphasised the campaign must continue until the scheme's planning process is complete.

He said: "There is still a long way to go before these playing fields are completely safe and we will now focus our efforts on ensuring Thames Water sticks to the alternative site.

"But I cannot let this moment pass without commending the extraordinary work of Sian Baxter and her many colleagues at Stop the Shaft - their efforts have been instrumental."

Prior to the annoucement Thames Water faced a straight choice between heavily populated Carnwath Road, in Fulham, and Barn Elms, but, after months of protests from both sides of the river, has plumped for Fulham as its preferred choice.

Ms Greening will be holding a public meeting for residents with Thames Water on December 8, from 7.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Putney.

For more information visit stoptheshaft.org