It emerged this week that the RFU has just applied to Richmond Council to stage five unspecified concerts a year between the months of June and October.

It follows the results of a Mori poll, commissioned by the union, which revealed that 66 per cent of residents were not opposed to concerts being staged at the stadium.

The poll surveyed residents living within 800 metres of the stadium and in the boroughs of Richmond and Hounslow.

At the time, council leaders and the borough's MP greeted the findings with caution because there was fierce opposition by residents to the RFU's plans to bring Pavarotti to Twickenham last June which led to the council banning the event.

A spokesman for the RFU confirmed that it was in discussion with the council to find out the legal position on staging concerts at Twickenham but declined to comment on the type of events being considered.

A statement issued by the union said: "Two independent surveys recently completed, indicated that the majority of residents would not be adverse to concerts being staged at the ground.

"The independent reports do not preclude the local authority from carrying out their own consultation and the RFU understands that this process has begun."

The leader of Richmond Council, Councillor David Williams, said the application was likely to stir up strong emotions among residents.

He said: "The RFU has got to consult the public at large on its overall usage plan for the stadium. If they had an overall plan they could make some concessions to residents such as a categorical statement that football matches will not be held at Twickenham or to ban post match drinking."

Twickenham MP Vincent Cable said: "I anticipated a fresh application for an occasional concert but five a year is way over the top and will be strongly resisted by residents especially if there are no proposals to cut back on other events.

"There has to be a long term understanding between the local community and the RFU over the frequency and type of events as a whole.

"Adding more and more events in this perceived way is not an acceptable way to proceed."

Philip Morgan, chairman of the Heatham Residents Association, said residents would be meeting to take a look at proposals within a fortnight.

"We are very much on our guard against what goes on at the RFU," he said.

"The RFU said last year it (the Pavarotti concert) was a one-off and now they are proposing five concerts in the summer months."

He added that noise objections would rest on the type of concerts planned for the stadium but added: "The main problem as always in this area is the disruption caused by traffic, there is no real traffic infrastructure. Some people will be coming by coaches, where are they going to park?"