Public Meeting Over AFC Wimbledon's Stadium Plans

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Chance to quiz developers of proposed new ground

A public meeting over AFC Wimbledon's plans for a new ground on the existing Wimbledon Stadium site is planned for next month.

The club wants to build a 20,000 capacity stadium, with an initial 11,000 seats.

Along with partner Galliard Homes, it plans shops, a squash and fitness club, 602 homes with basement parking, 297 car parking spaces and cycle parking.

A rival plan for the site involves expanding the greyhound stadium to a 4,500 seat area as well as building 550 new homes.

The meeting has been organised by Merton Council to give residents the chance to hear directly from AFC Wimbledon and Galliard Homes about their plans.

It will be chaired by the council's head of sustainable communities, James McGinlay, and will take place from 7pm-8.30pm on Wednesday February 11 in the main hall at Ricards Lodge School in Lake Road, Wimbledon.

The announcement about the meeting comes as AFC Wimbledon outline how they would manage parking in the area of their proposed new ground.

It says: "Whilst assessments carried out do indicate that there should be sufficient on-street parking to meet the increased demand on match days in the area immediately adjacent to the stadium, it is recognised that pressures will increase.

"The club will therefore work closely with the local community and with the two local boroughs, Merton and Wandsworth, to develop a strategy to reduce these pressures. It is likely that this will include:

• identifying opportunities to provide more off-street parking – a number of potential opportunities have been identified which the club will be discussing with landowners.
• introducing, if necessary, additional parking controls to protect local residential areas. Most of the area is covered by some form of controlled parking zone (CPZ), although in many cases the hours in which the zones operate do not include all the times that football matches might be played. "

There is no proposed parking for supporters on the site of the new stadium and studies carried out by the club estimate 64% of a capacity crowd of 11,000 would travel to the ground by publc transport.

Merton council is also taking comments on AFC Wimbledon's plans until February 2. To find the plans on the council's online Planning Explorer, search for plan 14/P4361.

And a public meeting aimed at Wandsworth residents is taking place from 7pm-8.30pm on Monday (February 2). The venue is the Drama Hall, Burntwood School, Burntwood Lane, SW17 0AQ.

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January 29, 2015