Twickenham Riverside should be handed over to the public, more than 500 people have said.

Out of 510 people who filled out a questionnaire on the future of the site – earmarked by the council for private development – 478 agreed the first step in saving the riverside was to bring it back into full public use.

The list of questions was organised by the Save our Riverside group to offer people a chance to have their say on what they think should be done with the site, which has stood derelict for more than 28 years.

A total of 446 people said they liked the idea put forward by the campaign group of seeing the land used for community involvement, while 349 people supported the idea of creating an open-air theatre and performance area on the site.

Other popular ideas included creating space for community markets and almost 400 participants supported a public square of piazza.

Organiser of the questionnaire, and member of the Friends of Twickenham Riverside, Scott Naylor, said: “We’ve had a referendum with 93.5 per cent of the population voting against the houses and centre.

“We have 7,000-plus signatures on the petition, 200-plus Twickenham traders openly supporting the whole of this and we now have almost 99 per cent on the questionnaire rejecting the council’s development brief.

“How many more ways can we demonstrate to make them fully listen and join us around the table.

“We have to work with the council and they have to work with us.”

The questionnaire was placed in the former Arthur’s by the River cafe and at the River Thames Visitors Centre, on Richmond riverside, alongside the council-backed proposal by Countryside Properties to build 32 homes and a educational river centre on the site, and other alternative plans.

More obscure ideas put across in the questionnaire included placing climbing rocks on the site, which 235 people liked, and creating an open-air ball court and gym, favoured by 189 people.

The campaigners now plan to hand the findings of the questionnaire to council leader Serge Lourie who they have asked to hold off signing the contract until the elections next May.

However, Coun Lourie rubbished the questionnaire saying he believed it would be biased.

He said: “The proposal is to sell a quarter of the site to pay for the improvements.

“They’ve been telling people we’re selling the entire site and people respond to this.

“I’m happy to engage with them and with other groups.”

To find out more about the campaign, visit friendsoftwickenhamriverside.org.uk