Last week, the council unveiled its new proposals for the site, which are currently out for consultation.

The plans include building over the green space to the east of Elms Road to build a five-storey hotel, a supermarket, a boutique hotel as well as other retail and residential units.

Lucy Allen, 46, takes her two young daughters, aged four and seven, to the park to enjoy the green space.

She said: “It’s a bit cheeky to claim that the new development will be bigger than the current one.

The council has said that the plans to develop on Elms Field are non-negotiable because the plan was laid out in the 2010 master plan for the town.

Ms Allen said: “I don’t think this should be non-negotiable. This could be a beautiful green heart for Wokingham but building on quite so much of it is permanently going to destroy it.” “The park just needs a bit of investment. I was there last Saturday and the sun was shining and there were 100 people in the park.

“There were families in the play area, teenagers by the pitch and putt.” Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat borough councillor for Winnersh has been involved in the campaign to keep the field green.

She said: “A lot of people feel very strongly about Elms Field. This plan is a step forward from where we were before but it is not right yet.

“I can foresee all sorts of difficulties. I have doubts about the housing and the extra road.

“You’re never going to be able to get that green space back again.

“There are a large number of people who don’t think they should put houses on Elms Field.

“If you’re rebuilding Peach Street then that’s where the town centre should be.

“If you build an alternative one at Elms Field it’s only going to draw people away from Peach Street.” The new plans involve creating 20 per cent more green space than in the last round of plans.

The field to the west of Elms Road will be slightly expanded.

The consultation runs until April 2.

Visit www.regenerationcompany.co.uk or attend the final public meeting in the Market Place today between 10am and 2pm.