Greendale development / DHFC

[jay66]

The planning application to build flats on the current DHFC stadium and part of a 4000 capacity stadium on protected land at Green Dale seems to be entering a new phase. Meadow / DHFC have been in consultation with Southwark for the past few months (hence the radio silence) and have recently issued another 100 or so amended documents. The main changes seem to be to the layout of the blocks of flats and a reduction in the number of flats and associated "affordable" housing. The plan is still to build a plastic pitch, terracing, concrete walkways on Green Dale MOL and to surround it in a high wall so no-one can see in from outside. DHFC hope that the planning application will be heard on 22 April.

You have until this Saturday 14th March to have your comments heard

https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=ZZZV0JKBWR961

Local residents are concerned that hardly anyone received the letter from Southwark Council telling them that they had such a tiny window of opportunity to comment on the 300 documents. Did anyone on the Abbotswood Estate get the letter?

What's important now is that you comment.

[mikeb]

The current tally is 697 supporting and 169 objecting to the development. Perhaps the football fans have been coming out in force.

[first mate]

Is it one of those consultations where anyone in the borough can comment?

[DadOf4]

This !!!

thedukeofmonclar Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It is the developer

> who has pitched this planning application as DHFC

> fans v local residents. Don't fall for it. We

> locals love the football club but don't want

> nearly ten thousand meters square of undeveloped

> greenfield MOL concreted over so developers can

> ignore covenants and build over the current

> stadium.

[kiera]

Yes First Mate, anyone can comment on the planning application. You will be asked for your name and address and Southwark will probably give more weight to people who live nearby, but also, I would hope to people who use and value Greendale.

[Abe_froeman]

It does look like only fans supporting the application (who would normally bother to comment in support of a planning application for property developer?)

does "I like watching football" carry much weight in a housing planning application? The supporting comments don't seem to have any other basis .

[katesonic]

Can Southwark retain the broadcast rights to this venue thus opening up a commercial opportunity to retain the site for its original purpose?

Is Peter Crouch available for comment?

K.

[jay66]

Another worrying angle that makes the fans roll their eyes is that the proposed 3G pitch is made up of tons of plastic grass (that cannot be recycled) and tons of used, ground-up rubber tyres. There's a lot of concern in the Netherlands about 3G pitches as they installed so many and are now trying to work out how to remove them. The updated documents from Meadow and DHFC say that they will replace the pitch every 10 years! That's a lot of plastic. And all of this right next to a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation where endangered species live. Plus schoolkids being offered the use of the plastic pitch. No matter how much eye-rolling this induces, it needs to be talked about.

Further reading:

https://fullycharged.show/blog/3g-pitches-is-the-uk-sleepwalking-into-a-public-health-crisis/

https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/about_ntp/bsc/2017/june/publiccomm/stephanattach2_20170628_508.pdf

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3426039/Artificial-football-pitches-cancer-warning-study-claims-hundreds-cases-linked.html

[nivag]

Has someone got a list of which endangered species live there?

[BrandNewGuy]

Here's a list (not exhaustive) of birds seen on Green Dale (other creatures and plants to follow...). Those of conservation status RED or AMBER are marked.

Red is the highest conservation priority, with species needing urgent action.

Criteria include:

- Species is globally threatened.

- Historical population decline in UK during 1800?1995.

- Severe (at least 50%) decline in UK breeding population over last 25 years, or longer-term period (the entire period used for assessments since the first BoCC review, starting in 1969).

- Severe (at least 50%) contraction of UK breeding range over last 25 years, or the longer-term period.

Amber is the next most critical group.

Green is for species seen as not under any immediate population threat.

Bar-tailed godwit AMBER

Black-headed gull AMBER

Blackbird

Blackcap

Blue tit

Carrion crow

Chaffinch

Chiffchaff

Common gull

Cormorant

Dunnock AMBER

Feral pigeon

Goldfinch

Great spotted woodpecker

Great tit

Green woodpecker

Greenfinch

Grey heron

Herring gull RED

House sparrow RED

Jay

Kestrel

Lesser whitethroat

Long-tailed tit

Magpie

Mistle thrush RED

Peregrine falcon

Pheasant

Pied wagtail

Redwing RED

Ring-necked parakeet

Robin

Siskin

Song thrush

Sparrowhawk

Starling

Stock dove AMBER

Swift AMBER

Tawny owl AMBER

Whitethroat

Wood pigeon

Wren

[BrandNewGuy]

A list of vertebrates seen on Green Dale:

Red fox

Hedgehog - of conservation concern

House mouse

Wood mouse

Field vole

Brown rat

Common frog

Common toad

Noctule bat - of conservation concern

Common pipistrelle bat

Soprano pipistrelle bat - of conservation concern

[BrandNewGuy]

A list of invertebrates seen on Green Dale. An entomologist told me that about a third of this list are of conservation concern:

Bluebottle

Brown centipede

Comma butterfly

Common black garden ant

Common blue butterfly

Common carder bee

Common centipede

Common garden slug

Common green lacewing

Common honey bee

Common wasp

Early mining bee

Field grasshopper

Garden bumblebee

Garden snail

Gatekeeper butterfly

Greenbottle

Holly blue butterfly

Housefly

Jersey tiger moth

Large black slug

Long-winged cone-head grasshopper

Meadow brown butterfly

Orange tip butterfly

Peacock butterfly

Red-tailed bumblebee

Roesel's bush cricket

Rough woodlouse

Small tortoiseshell butterfly

Small white butterfly

Smooth woodlouse

Speckled wood butterfly

Stag beetle

Yellow meadow ant

[nivag]

Over what time scale were these all observed?

[BrandNewGuy]

All within 18 months or so. From 2014 to 2016.

And the plant list over the same period includes a black poplar, Britain's most endangered native tree:

Annual meadow grass

Apple

Ash

Black poplar

Blackthorn

Bramble

Broad-leaved dock

Buddleia

Burdock

Cherry plum

Cleavers

Clematis

Cock's-foot

Coltsfoot

Common chickweed

Common daisy

Common dandelion

Common hop

Common mallow

Common nettle

Common vetch

Cow parsley

Creeping bent

Creeping buttercup

Creeping cinquefoil

Creeping thistle

Curled dock

Common daisy

Dove?s-foot crane?s-bill

Elder

False oat-grass

Field maple

Field rose

Goat's rue

Goat willow

Greater plantain

Greek dock

Green alkanet

Hawkweed

Hawthorn

Hazel

Herb robert

Holly

Holm oak

Hornbeam

Horse chestnut

Ivy

Japanese knotweed

Lady's bedstraw

Lime

Lombardy poplar

Meadow buttercup

Meadow vetchling

Mugwort

Narrow-leaved ragwort

Norway maple

Oak

Oxford ragwort

Pear

Perennial ryegrass

Privet

Ragwort

Raspberry

Red clover

Red dead-nettle

Red fescue

Ribwort plantain

Rue-leaved saxifrage

Smaller cat?s-tail

Spear thistle

Sycamore

Timothy

Tree of heaven

White clover

White dead-nettle

Whitebeam

Wild cherry

Wild teasel

Yarrow

Yorkshire fog

[sjsl]

Wow... I need to concentrate next time I walk to Sainsburys! It is a concern that the comments are listed as for or against when it's such a complex and multi faceted plan. I'm a Hamlet supporter, but can't see that it has to be at the expense of our open spaces.

[jay66]

The letter, which only a handful of seemingly random people received, says the consultation is open until sat 14th March. DHFC are saying it closes on 12th March ie thursday... so get your comments in asap!

[bels123]

Anyone know the latest? I?ve lost track re the planning application but keen to support the open space staying open. It?s been a lifesaver to our family during lockdown.

[Abe_froeman]

I think Sadiq Khan has approved it so it will go ahead.

[Buxton Spring]

they better have the best security money can buy .

[Abe_froeman]

Suspect the new pitch will also be turned into flats in the next few years, given that football clubs are not compatible with social distancing and therefore unlikely to be financially viable at the bottom end.

[jack the mole]

When are the flats/ new Football pitch going to be built? I can't find any information online.

Just wondering how much longer we can enjoy that amazing area...

[BrandNewGuy]

I'm not sure about "doing fine and dandy". The development was absolutely integral to the planned long-term financial viability of the club in its present location. Delays and lack of news don't help that situation.

[E-Dulwich]

Such a nice space, I used to have football training for my club there, would be a shame if its not fixed up and properly used again. They would have to fix the fences, and use proper locks and hopefully that and other measures will prevent vandalism.

[Nigello]

I walked around there for the first time in ages a few weeks ago and found it a bit dispiriting and empty, what with the scrawled-on walls and the feeling of remoteness. Does the club have an obligation to keep the area around it clean?

[Angelina]

It?s a great space. Look past the graffiti Nigello and see the kids playing, people walking dogs and people just chilling out.

Some people are very keen on developments, however this area is very well used and loved by many.