The guardians of Epping Forest are weighing up whether to use a Wanstead green to house over 1,000 cars during the Olympics.

Redbridge Council has made an “informal request” to the City of London Corporation requesting the use of George Green, Wanstead, as a car park during the Games.

The green’s close proximity to Wanstead Tube Station means it could be used by sports fans heading to the Olympic Park in Stratford between July 27 and August 12.

Paul Thomson, the Corporation’s Superintendent at Epping Forest, said:

“Any request for assistance would need to be balanced alongside the City’s duty to properly protect Epping Forest land”.

Valerie Sawyer, 74, of Wanstead High Street and a member of The Wanstead Society, said the proposal would be a “disaster”.

She said: “It’s nonsense.

“I think it will be a disaster because Cambridge Park Road is already one of the busiest roads.

“We have trouble with parking in Wanstead and Woodford with all the people coming from outside the area as well.”

A council spokesman said: “The email to the Corporation was purely an informal request.

“Vision [Redbridge, responsible for the council’s leisure services] has not enquired about any other sites in the borough.”

Nearby Wanstead & Snaresbrook Cricket & Football Club in Overton Drive will also become a camp site for around 500 people during the Games period.