Opposition to plans for a “super sewer” entrance in Barn Elms is gaining pace - with more than 3,000 disgruntled residents having signed a petition to block the plans.

And the petition, which cites issues such as 24-hour-a-day construction work and a constant stream of lorries passing through Putney and Barnes as arguments against, is only the first stage in residents making their feelings well and truly heard.

Sian Baxter, a co-ordinator for new action group Stop the Shaft, said: ”It's really good so many people have signed the petition but I thought we would get these numbers.

"Our target is 5,000 by the end of the consultation on January 14.

"One of the problems with this consultation is that Thames Water haven't notified people efficiently. It is very worrying that people didn't know more about it."

Stop the Shaft, which was set up to highlight residents concerns about the super sewer entrance proposals, is backing up the petition with an organised protest march on Saturday in the hope of getting Thames Water to take notice of public objection.

Ms Baxter said: “We’re doing a protest march around the proposed site on the Thames path.

“A group of us all have placards and banners and will be walking around the facility.”

Objections to building a tunnel entrance on the Barnes and Putney border were raised last month when Thames Water announced a plot of land on the southern edge of the picturesque Barn Elms playing fields as its preferred site for development.

Residents on both sides of the land raised concerns over what such a build would mean for neighbouring communities, saying the required three years of 24-hour-a-day construction work would be unacceptable.

They also questioned the way the water company had notified them of the consultation process for the site.

Richmond Council came out fighting and branded the consultation process “inept in the extreme”. Since then residents have been signing a petition which states a build would “have a huge disruptive impact on this area”.

Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith also joined the fight, and helped persuade Thames Water to extend its consultation process until January 14 so more residents could have their say.

He said: “The vast majority of people welcome the project as a whole, but dispute proposals to put the main shaft on part of Barn Elms. That’s the key issue, and if Thames Water is to gain acceptance from the community, they need to make a water tight case.

“My view is that if this is genuinely the only viable option, then we should accept it, but like others, I need to be convinced.”

Mr Goldsmith also confirmed Thames Water had agreed to hold more public meetings in Barnes, and said he would be finalising plans with them shortly.