A community group has warned that holding London’s largest urban music festival at a beauty spot would be “a man-made disaster”.

Events company MAMA & Co. wants to hold a music festival that could bring more than 50,000 visitors to Wanstead Flats, which are owned by The City of London Corporation.

It would be the largest urban festival in London, the closest being Finsbury Park festival, which has more than 45,000 visitors.

Aldersbrook and Lake House Community Association is holding a public meeting on Wednesday to discuss the plans.

The group is expecting more than 100 people and its chairman Kris Sangani says the general feeling is against the festival.

Wanstead Flats is home to rare nesting skylarks and meadow pipits – and Mr Sangani fears music fans could cause “irreversible damage” as they enter and leave the site.

Many fear for the recovery of the habitat following large grass fires there this summer.

Mr Sangani said: “It is untenable, we had fires on the flats this summer and this will be a man-made disaster on the flats.”

Mr Sangani claimed that similar events had been “very traumatic” for other communities that had hosted them.

He added: “If our community wants to, we will launch a petition to force debate in full council in Redbridge and make the City of London Corporation take notice of the strength of feeling against these plans.

“We have spoken to councillors, parishioners, users of the flats and parks and there is a lot of anxiety about the scale and nature of these proposals.

“We welcome music events, we are keen to promote them and we want to work with the City of London Corporation to improve the Flats and Wanstead Park, but we need to look at the cost-benefit ratio.”

Redbridge Council will have the final say on whether or not the events are granted a licence.

A spokesman for the authority said: “We’re aware of the Corporation of London’s proposals for this music event.

“Should they decide to press ahead they will need to make an application to Redbridge Council for an alcohol and entertainment licence, at which point residents and businesses will be fully consulted.

“All views received will be considered by a licensing committee hearing before any decision can be made.”

The meeting will take place at Aldersbrook Bowls Club, 34 Aldersbrook Road from 7.30pm.

In our coverage of this story last week, we wrongly reported that Kris Sangani is a member of the WREN Wildlife and Conservation Group. We apologise for the error and any confusion caused.