Campaigners are "concerned” to see Surbiton’s Seething Wells filter beds on a list of potential sites for development.

Kingston Council has published a 162-page list of potential locations for development as part of the ‘call for sites’ stage of the drafting of the borough’s local plan.

The local plan, which will go to consultation in spring of next year, will become the borough’s main planning policy document informing all development decisions.

Residents will be consulted on their views about the ‘Sites Assessments’ document, which is a list of potential sites for development suggested by developers and members of the public.

The filter beds at Seething Wells on Portsmouth Road are part of the green corridor, home to 86 bird and bat species, including the rare Daubenton bat.

The former Victorian waterworks are a site of borough importance for nature conservation, a metropolitan open land and a conservation area with blanket tree protection orders.

Campaigners circulated images on social media in October revealing all four sides of the filter beds almost entirely cleared of trees after maintenance work was carried out on its soil bunds.

A Met Police investigation into alleged damage to plants and wildlife at Seething Wells waterworks found no criminal offences were committed the following week.

Simon Tyrrell, from Friends of Seething Wells, said: “Like everyone in the community we were concerned to see that the designated Metropolitan Open Land in the Riverside Conservation Area at the Seething Wells filter beds site featured on a lengthy list of open land at the ‘call for sites’ stage of the Borough’s local plan development.

“We’re reassured that the borough has already ruled out development on the site, along with others on the list, so we’re confident it’ll go no further at the consultation stage.”

Councillor Liz Green, Leader of the Council, said in a statement: “I have fought against development on the Seething Wells Filter Bed site for many years. It is a Site of Nature Conservation, considerable heritage value and Metropolitan Open Land.

“However, I know that some local residents believe some of the site should be developed for housing.

“It is absolutely right that we allow a consultation process that provides all residents the opportunity to have their say.”