A plan for an exclusive all-boys school to lease public parkland in exchange for upgrading the park’s facilities has split the community and sparked concerns it would lock up public land for private use.

Brighton Grammar School has applied to Bayside City Council for a lease on Wilson Recreation Reserve, which stretches across 1.7 hectares opposite the school and is one of the few areas of open parkland in Brighton.

The school says the deal would benefit both the school and Bayside residents, but opponents are concerned locals will be locked out of public land.

Brighton Grammar also wants to buy a public road, Young Street, off the council and has submitted planning applications for lighting on its tennis courts and increased operation of its gym.

School parents and Brighton Grammar old boys who back the parkland takeover have been sending pro forma emails to Bayside Council urging it to support the school’s application for a lease.

“Brighton Grammar School has proposed funding the upgrade of Wilson Reserve at no cost to Bayside ratepayers,” the email states. “Importantly, the community will continue to enjoy the same access to the reserve that it has today. The proposed lease arrangement simply provides the school with certainty that its students will continue to be able to utilise the facility into the future.”

The email states that Brighton Grammar’s proposal will deliver a safer, higher-quality playing surface for all users while removing the financial burden from the council and taxpayers.

Brighton Grammar students already use Wilson Recreation Reserve for rugby and cricket and as an overflow area for students to play on at lunchtime during the term.

The school has had its sights set on a more formal claim to the reserve for years and put forward a similar proposal in 2020 for a 21-year lease over the reserve at a “peppercorn rate” if it invested $2 million in upgrading the facilities.

Under the previous proposal, the school would get exclusive access to the reserve at lunchtime all year, from 3.30pm to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, and every Saturday, 8am to 2pm, from April to September.

Bayside Council gave Brighton Grammar the go-ahead to develop a plan for a new pavilion at Wilson Reserve at the time, but the school withdrew its application.

Brighton Grammar would not provide details of how long the lease would run under its new proposal, how much the school would pay for the use of the public land and what the upgrade of the reserve would entail.

The school also wants to acquire Young Street, which leads into its junior school campus.

The email to the council says Young Street would be used as “a modest recreational and open space enhancement, not a traffic access point”.

“The question for council is straightforward: does Bayside support improved recreational facilities, greater participation in sport and healthier outcomes for our children, or does it not?” the email states.

Brighton Grammar, which charges fees of $41,068 a year, did not respond to questions asking for further details of the proposed lease or road acquisition.

“Brighton Grammar is a community-minded school that continually seeks opportunities to create positive outcomes for both our own community and the broader Bayside region,” headmaster Ross Featherston said.

“Many Brighton Grammar families are also Bayside residents, and we recognise the strong connection between the school and the local community. As a result, initiatives that benefit the school can often deliver broader benefits for Bayside as well.”

But resident Kevin Howard said two council reviews had identified a shortage of open space in Brighton.

“It’s very clear that Wilson Reserve serves as the open space for a big chunk of central Brighton, so if you exclude the public from that at certain times of the day, then all of a sudden, there’s no open space,” he said. “It locks the public out.”

Howard pointed out that Brighton Grammar had spent $70 million on a science, creativity, and entrepreneurship building last year but was trying to get public land free.

“They’re providing facilities to increase their student numbers, but they’re relying on public land for their playground, essentially,” he said.

Liberal Brighton MP James Newbury said he was concerned about the precedent that would be set if the council began to lease off public open space to anyone who could afford to buy exclusive access.

“The oval must remain public open space,” he said. “Do we really want to open the door to exclusive lease arrangement across all of our public parks in Melbourne? Does that mean anyone with deep pockets can buy access to public space if they can afford it? Public open space must exist for the enjoyment of everyone.”

Former Brighton mayor and resident Felicity Frederico said she backed a lease to Brighton Grammar.

“I don’t have any issues with Brighton Grammar investing in an upgrade of the facility of the sporting field and maintaining their existing hours of usage,” she said.

Bayside City Council chief executive Matthew Cripps said council officers were reviewing a range of matters proposed by Brighton Grammar, including a proposal in relation to Wilson Reserve, and they would be considered at a future council meeting.

“Brighton Grammar has also expressed interest in a section of Young Street,” he said. “Any proposed sale of council land is subject to a legislated community engagement and governance process including being presented to a council meeting.”

The council would not provide further details of the proposal.