Around 50 angry tennis players and residents hurled a volley of objections at Barnet Council about plans to redevelop their tennis courts into a block of flats last week.

Members of the Neeld Lawn Tennis Club in Foscote Road waved their racquets in protest at the Hendon area forum on Wednesday, joined by residents who live in neighbouring roads to the tennis club.

Sidney Wagner, chairman of the private club, pleaded with councillors to refuse all applications to build on the club's land.

He said: "I asked you not to go on thinking about flats and council tax and whatever else it is you think about. And please do whatever you can to support us, that amenity loss would be terrible.

"You might not know it, but our club has been there for 100 years, and we have there some of the best tennis players in, dare I say England, but certainly in London.

"We would lose so much if you put up another block of flats."

Developer Turnhold Estates, based in Whetstone, made an application to build flats, which was refused. Shortly after, another planning application went in from another developer, Essex-based Telford Homes plc.

Mr Wagner said: "I can't understand how Barnet, with the logo 'putting the community first', can allow in a stranger from Essex to build 14 flats for private use. What will Hendon get?"

Three children who play tennis at the club also stood up to address the meeting. Tamara Stewart, 12, of Foscote Road, said: "If we weren't playing tennis, we would be sitting in front of the television and playing computer games. If there are 14 flats, we would have nowhere to go."

One of the options offered by the developer is to provide new tennis clubs in Hendon Park. Helene Stewart, Tamara's mother, said she knew people who had been mugged walking through the park, and believed it would not be safe for her children to play there.

Councillor Brian Gordon, chairing the meeting, expressed his support for those opposing any planning application, saying Barnet should support the training of England's tennis players of the future.

He said: "I think it is very important for the youth of our community to have sports facilities and I hope very much this club will not be moved."