Kingston is at risk of losing its £33m mini-Holland funding if it does not start spending it more quickly.

Surrey Comet:

An artist impression of the New Malden to Raynes Park link

The second mini-Holland cycle track, which runs from New Malden to Raynes Park, could face up to a four-year delay while Thames Water completes urgent pipework under the site and the council deal with furious environmental protestors.

Thames Water owns the mile-long stretch of land behind part of Alric Avenue that has been ear-marked for £1.9m of mini-Holland funding.

Four pressurised mains water pipes that supply 700,000 homes lie under the land. At least one has a “zero life expectancy”, meaning it could burst at any moment – flooding New Malden yet again.

Council leader Kevin Davis said: “We do have to get this right because we are being looked at by the mayor [of London] and other boroughs.

“Whenever a statutory body tells me something is going to take two years it is always four.

“It is possible that we will lose this money if we don’t start spending it faster.”

Councillor Terry Paton, who is overseeing the project, called the link “vital”.

He said: “We have to make sure we are on top of everything else while Thames Water are working.

“There is a change of mayor soon and we are conscious about our funding.

“It is unlikely that we will lose it at the moment, but we need to know how long Thames Water’s work is going to take.”

Thames Water has told Kingston Council that it could take a year to assess what needs to be done to the pipes.

Councillors also face opposition from environmental protestors.

At Tuesday’s full council meeting, rival petitioners met face-to-face for the first time to plead their cases.

Peter Nolan, who started the petition against the link, called the land an “undisturbed wildlife valley”.

He said: “The scheme is being promoted on a series of flawed promises. [They] say that it can be both a wildlife valley and a cycle track.

“Homer Simpson had a similar idea. When asked what his favourite things were he said ‘beer, custard, lobster and gravy’. “He decided to mix them together and come up with the best thing. You can’t do that.”

Nick Davies, of Kingston Cycling Campaign, said: “It is not quite the rural haven Mr Nolan is painting it as.

“This is the vital cycling route into central London. A once in a lifetime opportunity. Please councillors, do not waste this money.”

The Surrey Comet contacted the mayor’s office to find out about a use by date for mini-Holland’s millions but had not heard back as it went to press.

A Thames Water spokeswoman said the company would know how long repair work would take after assessments had been completed, but any plans would be “shared with residents”.