Pitches and courts at the former NatWest sports ground have not been used since 2007, when the site was fenced off.
Ruach City Church, a non-denominational Pentecostal church, and developer Portobello Trust now want to build houses, flats and a care home on the site.
A planning application, which also includes proposals to provide hockey pitches, padel courts, a cricket pitch and sports hall, has been submitted to Merton Council through development company Matt 6:33 LLP.
Two years ago, Ruach City Church took over the Grade II listed Streatham Hill Theatre, and its attempts to formalise the venue’s use as a church has sparked controversy.
The sports ground site directly borders Croydon, where the local authority has raised concerns that the development could put pressure on the borough’s roads and GP surgeries.
Its submission states: “The London borough of Croydon objects to the application by reason of the lack of information to adequately assess whether there would be a detrimental impact on the highways network and health care facilities.”
Original plans for the development, called Norbury Village by the developer, asked for permission to build 288 new homes in buildings up to four-storeys in height.
But the latest designs have enlarged the scheme, with 353 homes in buildings up to six-storeys high now proposed.
Croydon Council said that the care home in the new plans would have an “overbearing impact” on two homes in Turle Road.
Of the new homes, 150 would be houses, 203 would be flats and the care home would have 84 bedrooms.
Planning documents say: “The proposal will facilitate the provision of a new sports hub for the borough providing for a multitude of different sports and the potential for over 30,000 hours of use per year.
“In addition, the site will create new areas of public open space, including a new local park, a formal village green, informal green spaces including spaces for informal exercise, children’s play and biodiversity enhancements.
“The scheme will be enabled by low rise housing that take account of the surrounding context.
“Many of the homes will be family houses in addition to some flatted development and care provision.”
Ruach City Church has been approached for comment.
Developer Matt 6:33 LLP said: “The proposal delivers £12.26 million of new sports facilities, 353 homes – 35% affordable – a care home, and a new public park.
“It’s a thoughtfully designed proposal that will bring lasting benefits to the wider community.
“We note the comments from Croydon Council, but detailed transport assessments have been submitted as part of the application and demonstrate that the scheme will not have an unacceptable impact on local roads.
“Health infrastructure capacity has also been considered, and the development includes contributions towards local services where necessary.
“Regarding the care home, it has been carefully designed to sit on the footprint of the existing pavilion building, which already establishes the scale and massing of this site.”
