Campaigners opposed to controversial plans to sell off Twickenham Riverside for private development are to visit 10 Downing Street on Monday.

Members of several campaign groups, including the Friends of Twickenham Riverside and Save Our Riverside, will hand in a petition containing the signatures of more than 7,000 opponents of the plans.

Concerns were also raised this week about the future providers of the River Centre in Twickenham, after it was announced their business plan has been delayed once again A full business plan from the Environment Trust was originally expected to be ready to go before the scrutiny committee last month.

However, to ensure the plan was ready in time the trust was given an extra month to complete it.

But Conservative councillors have learned the plan will now not be ready as scheduled this month, leading them to worry that the task of running the centre is too much for the trust.

Conservative deputy leader, Councillor Geoffrey Samuel, who also sits as vice chairman on the council’s scrutiny committee, said: “Residents expecting to participate in the scrutiny process next month will be appalled.

“What does it say about the Environment Trust – which has paid officials working for it – if after nearly three years it cannot produce a viable plan?”

The River Centre was proposed as part of council-backed plans by Countryside Properties to redevelop Twickenham Riverside by building 32 houses and the centre on derelict land.

It will be run by the trust as an educational centre and visitor attraction, with the hope it would eventually become a tourist attraction for the capital.

Despite the opposition fears, Rob Gray, author of the trust’s business plan, said a full plan was in place.

An updated copy of the business plan has been held up by the delay in signing the development contract.

He said: “As a result of these delays to the overall programme it has been agreed with the council that publication of an updated full business plan will be delayed, so the project phasing moves forward as originally envisaged.”

Richmond Council leader Serge Lourie also defended the trust, saying he had faith in its ability to run the centre.

He said: “We remain confident of the Environment Trust’s plans.

“We await the publication of the full business plan in due course.

“As we have previously said we will not make any decision to sign the contract until we have had the opportunity to fully examine Countryside’s accounts.

“This we envisage doing over the coming weeks.”

See next week's paper for a full report of the visit