Plans by Australia’s largest soccer club to build multimillion-dollar complex in a public park have raised the ire of nearby residents who say the development would eradicate some of the last open parkland in Melbourne's inner west.

Melbourne Victory revealed in October last year that it had received $10 million in state government funding to help it build an $18 million women’s and youth academy in the heritage-listed Footscray Park.

Ruby and her owner Kate frolic in the open space Footscray Park on Saturday. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Occupying the entire flat parkland to the west of the park, which hosts annual events such as Laneway Festival and New Year’s Eve fireworks, the complex would include three floodlit, synthetic and turf soccer pitches, six change rooms and a 500-person stand.

However, residents say they are concerned that one of their suburb's largest off-lead dog walking and recreation areas will be confined to a walking path around the pitches, with few guarantees on benefits for the wider community.