Dulwich Hamlet Football Club planning decision - 27th July

[first mate]

The current, rundown astroturf is useable by all completely free of charge.

Is the smaller replacement recreational area also going to be completely free of charge? If not then my view is this is a loss to the community not a gain. My strong suspicion is this will become block booked by local schools and school clubs that will be able to fund the charges, more so because schools like the new Charter and the various local Harris schools have little in the way of useable playground. Moreover, the area will be available for hire by any relevant organisation throughout S'wark.

Don't wish to seem negative but just not sure about this.

[legalalien]

I haven’t read any of the underlying council

documentation but according to the judgment the smaller MUGA (as opposed to the 3G pitch) is going to be available free of charge and on a non-bookable basis, with the intention that it be available to the community on a similar “informal” basis as the astro has since the council unlocked the gates to it in 2018. There’s also a suggestion that the club has to use reasonable endeavours to secure a long lease of the St Olaves grounds for additional community use ( reasonable endeavours not the strongest of obligations of course).

The judge says when considering the public sector equality duty point:

“ In my judgment, unlike in Williams, the Council did not overlook a main impact of the proposal. The real point was that local people including many BAME people, use the Astroturf for informal sport and recreation and for them it is important that it is free and does not require booking. The Council expressly considered those matters and its judgement (in agreement with the GLA) was that the kickabout space together with the new and replacement facilities regulated by the Community Use Agreement would appropriately mitigate the impact.”