Aveo-owned land used for years as an unofficial part of Meissner Park to be split up for housing

In February, council issued a permit to reconfigure the Salisbury Street land, which is owned by Aveo, into eight lots.

Developers have since put down pegs to mark out the blocks and signage has gone up advertising sites between 617 and 835 square metres.

Nearby resident Valda Hirst said the park was a beloved community space.

"There are kids that come down and play in the park," she said.

"There's a lot of older residents nearby and their families come and they walk across the road to the park and they ride their bikes.

"A lot of the older residents will go and they'll just sit there enjoying the park.

"It's a shame, our green space seems to be getting smaller and smaller."

An Aveo spokesperson said nearby parkland was not owned by Aveo and would not be part of the subdivision.

The company owned 21 to 43 Salisbury Street and would subdivide the land into low-density lots, in keeping with the surrounding neighbourhood.

"The lots - to be used for one to two-storey private dwellings - will eventually be sold," the spokesperson said.

The playground, walking paths and grassed and vegetated areas behind the subdivision looks set to remain.

According to the development application, the land has historically formed an unofficial element of Meissner Street Park, due to a lack of boundary fencing.

"Continued ambiguity relating to the ownership and maintenance responsibility of the land has resulted in a boundary realignment to officially isolate the developable part of the land ... and dedicate the balance of the park to council," the application stated.

It said blocks would represent ideal park-front living and future dwellings would provide passive surveillance over Meissner Park.

On Facebook, one resident said their kids loved playing running around in the open space, and they had not realised it was not officially a part of the park.

Another said the area needed more larger blocks.