SARACENS' plans of making the Copthall Stadium their home by January were opposed by two senior Tory politicians last night.

Hendon MP Matthew Offord and London Assembly member Brian Coleman said they would not back the plans to transform the Mill Hill site into a 10,000 seater venue in their current form.

The Premiership club want to make the 1960s stadium their new home and have announced ambitions to play there from January, with a new artificial pitch and temporary stands.

Last night around 300 residents, many against the proposals by the Premiership club, packed out Copthall School's hall for a meeting chaired by Mr Offord to gauge public opinion.

The plans were set to go before a planning committee in June, but Councillor Coleman, who is in charge of transport and the environment in the borough, said he had been told here were problems and vowed: “I will not put in a controlled parking zone”.

He added: “I've been in local politics a very long time and history repeats itself. I was on the committee and voted against the Barnet FC plans. In the end we saw that off at a public inquiry.

“News on the application submitted by Saracens is planners do not consider it fit enough to come to committee, and it will be at least six to eight weeks with the work they have to do.

“I have been assured by the chief planning officer it will not come to committee until at least September.”

Many residents told the meeting they were worried about the impact of thousands of extra cars coming into the area on up to 16 match days each season, and queried the travel plan put forward by the club.

Stadium planning expert John Dix, who lives in East Barnet, queried the use of temporary stands and toilets for the stadium, where the club has a 99-year lease from Barnet Council.

He also pointed to deficiencies in disabled access, catering facilities and having up to 1,000 fans standing pitchside.

He added: “I can't believe is to be operated on temporary facilities and be here for 99 years. It's a fundamentally flawed scheme.”

Belinda Blank, who runs a Jewish football team at the ground, said the proposals would “destroy Jewish sport in Mill Hill” by making them homeless.

John Turtle, a leading Green Belt expert, highlighted what he said were problems with the scheme, adding “there's no way a 10,000-seat stadium will not impact on the Green Belt".

But people in favour of the scheme said it would boost sports and activities for youngsters in the area.

Tim Hurst, a member of Mill Hill Rugby Club for 30 years, said: “Local clubs can't sustain themselves because the council puts the costs up all the time.

“This is a chance to regenerate this area at no cost to the tax payer and everyone is up in arms over travel matters. This is going to be a very beneficial scheme and will arrest the terminal decline of the area.”

Closing the meeting Mr Offord said: “I currently feel if this application went ahead it would be a price too high to pay for local residents.

“If the plans are approved I will be calling on the Secretary of State to take it to public inquiry.”

Despite this Edward Griffiths, the chief executive of Saracens, remained defiant the plans could be considered in June.

He told the Times Series: “Obviously elected politicians are entitled to their views and they have obviously been lobbied very significantly and effectively. We will lobby them equally effectively.

“We will continue pushing our ideas among local residents and politicians as we believe we can create a community asset.

“We put in an application and followed the right channels and, as far as I'm aware, we're still hopeful of a June determination.”