HANDS off our field" - that's the message angry residents are sending to Dudley Council in bid to get car park plans halted.

The council plans to build a car park with room for more than 200 vehicles on green space next to its Lister Road depot as part of its plan to redevelop the waste centre.

But residents are furious about seeing part of the well-used field - which is home to two football pitches - covered in concrete.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin has also thrown his weight behind their campaign and has urged the council to drop the car park plans.

He has objected on the grounds that the car park would derive youngsters and sports teams of popular pitches and has called on residents, Sport England, the Football Association and Active Black Country to do the same.

"Residents have told me that they are horrified about plans to replace their park with a car park," he said.

“It has been public open space for as long as anyone can remember and it is well used by local football teams and people in the area.

“There is a childhood obesity crisis and here we have a local council planning to concrete over sports facilities.”

The proposed revamp would also see existing buildings demolished and replaced with a three-storey office block, which Mr Austin was also concerned about.

"This huge new office block will cause noise and disruption when it is being built and will look down into people’s homes," he said.

"I’m not surprised residents are so furious about these plans.

"Why can’t they use the empty office block in St James’s Road if they need to move staff? Moving hundreds of staff in there would boost trade in the town as well."

However Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for environmental services, said that if plans were approved, there would be no change to the number of football pitches and the parking area would be available for everyone to use during the evening and weekends.

She added: "“If residents have concerns about privacy, they can make representations which will be taken into account when it comes to looking at the final planning application.

“Centralising staff to the site and bringing services together will make working more efficient and contribute to council savings, while the new car park will reduce on street parking during weekend and evening events which will also benefit local residents.

“There will inevitably be an element of noise and disruption in the building stages of any development.

"We will, however, of course do all we can to keep that to an absolute minimum for residents if approved."