milk76

The astroturf is owned by the council and the stadium have leased it for the last twenty odd years. But they have not maintained it as they should and it has now fallen into such a state of disrepair that for some time now it has been unavailable to schools on health and safety grounds. As a result the council sort to fund rennovating it themseves when they can take back ownership of it at the end of the lease term which is year end 2014. They have found the money and it is a done deal. I know nothing about any covenant on greendale. But the contract between King's College School of Medicine, Southwark Council and Sainsburys that granted the Supermarket planning pernission to be built stated that Sainsburys had to provide, maintain and secure St Francis Park and build what is now called Champion Hill Stadium which would be allowed restricted planning as a Sports, leisure or educational facility. Now presumably it could be used as a library or shcool without seeking to change the planning restrictions upon it. But Southwark would have to vote to change it's policy on the premises and I see no clear public interest reason why they would. I believe Ipool is dead right in his thinking about both the timeframe that Hadley will be looking at and the unlikelyhood that they will try to force the club out and risk leaving a devalued asset and a bad smell around their reputation.

Hadley's proposals are clear. It is also clear that the money has already been allocated by Southwark Council to upgrade the current all weather pitch for use by Schools and community groups in addition to the local sports clubs currently benefitting from it. We have already paid for this with our council taxes. The whole Greendale rejuvination has also been funded by us already. Yes Hadley state, probably correctly, that it is hard for the Champion Hill pitch to make a profit in its current grass state, only being useable 4.5 hours a week. THe grass also has intrinsic high maintainance costs and poor reliability. They correctly conclude that a facility can increase income several fold with an artificial surface that can potentially be rented up to 60 hours a week. I for one will be very happy to see them invest in such a new playing surface at Champion Hill Stadium. Surely this must have been their thinking when deciding to invest their capital in a Stadium facility currently not breaking even that is protected in perpetuity as a local leisure and educational property? At a single stroke making it mildly profitable. But I jest. Hadley are not offering extra improved sporting facilities and a twenty year profit cycle. They are offering to put seats and a clubhouse on our current community facility and somehow to get permission to bulldoze the other covenant protected local facility. But that is ok, they will put a couple of small playgrounds in the middle of the hundred million profit housing estate they will build on it.

But Gary, Southwark Council have already allocated the money and are going to upgrade the current astroturf pitch since it's current lease holders have allowed it to fall into disrepair. Hadley is not offering to add a facility it is trying to garner public support to remove one. Investing in a 4g pitch for the Champion Hill Stadium would increase conservatively eightfold the time the pitch could be used each week. Thus bringing in new, significant, year round revenue streams to the stadium. It would also greatly reduce upkeep costs and reduce the losses from wet weather cancellations. Sure it is not the profit they can make bulldozing it and then selling 200 new homes, but I fail to see how it is in the public interest to change planning policy to help them make a pile of cash.

The current Hamlet pitch could of course be turned into 4g astroturf and the site could turn a modest profit. I suspect this is not the ?100 million payday that Hadley have in mind though. I hope the Council stand strong, execute their plan to improve the astroturf pitches, and increase not decrease the available community sports facilities.

James Barber is quite correct. The council would have to have an over riding public interest to justify a change of purpose should they have the desire to. This seems very unlikely. Hadley gambled that offering an upgraded pitch on Green Dale might constitute that. Now Southwark have earmarked the money themselves to upgrade it, when they get the lease back in two months, Hadley have little to offer in that respect. Secondy this administration and the local councillors probably have no desire to bail out property dealers. edit @mikeb no the club is not MOL it is private land.

King's College did not sell the club down the river. The property has a covenant binding it to sports and social use. The only reason that Hadley (and indeed the previous property developers) paid what they did for the site is the gamble that they will be able to break that trust, demolish, and build on the site. All this would depend upon the council breaking policy and giving in to them. It may well be that the site is unable to make a profit based on a land value of over five million pounds. It can certainly bring in significant revenue however. The carwash lease is a good start. The gym has also recieved offers from private chains over the years to take on the lease if the current owners do not wish to run it. Finally the club income will have risen hundreds of percent over the last decade with its increased popularity. Hadley may well not profit on the money that they paid for the site, but it can certainly more than cover its running costs. They may threaten to close the facility down. But so long as the covenant holds they can only sell it on to others willing to buy a sports facility. That would me harder and potentially at an bigger loss if they close it down and let it fall into disrepair. My suspicion is that they will keep it on and enjoy the CSR publicity boost that running a popular community sports facility brings their organisation in the medium term. Finally in terms of Green Dale. It is amazing that the council have allocated the money to give us access to another big green space locally. Refurbing the astroturf to allow kids access during the daytime in adition to the hundreds of adults who use it in the evenings is just further icing on the cake.

@eastdulwichhenry, the road access is not the only very unclear thing. Currently the now slightly reduced in size club carpark can hold around forty cars (reduced by the carwash). During matches we now see between thirty and fifty cars parking along the rear side of the ground, down Abbotswood Road, Burrow Road and even Talbot Road. There is no club carpark on any of the plans and it certainly needs one.

Alex K, a perfect summation. Corporate vultures trying to get their hands on any little bit of valuable green space in London. I hope they lose their bet too.

James today the Hadley Group who now own the DHFC stadium have announced their desire to redevelop the area. They have sent out a 'community newsletter' that has been delivered around the neighbourhood. It states "as currently configured the facilities cannot continue to support the Club and a change in the layout and footprint of the buildings is needed. There is an opportunity to provide a new stadium and to invest in the open space located around the stadium." Although not explicitely named there is a handy map on the other side highlighting just how much space there is behind the club on the Greendale Playing Fields. They state that they have engaged architects Farrells to liease with Southwark Council. Has there been any change in the position of the council/councillors surrounding redevelopment and expansion of this site?

Well the property developers are showing their hand. This morning a glossy 'community newsletter' has been delivered around the neighbourhood. It states "as currently configured the facilities cannot continue to support the Club and a change in the layout and footprint of the buildings is needed. There is an opportunity to provide a new stadium and to invest in the open space located around the stadium." There is a handy map on the other side highlighting just how much space there is behind the club on the Greendale Playing Fields. What would 150 new properties near East Dulwich Station be worth to them? ?60 million? More?

Fair warning, this is a little strange. A few weeks ago we found a plastic carrier bag filled with ash placed on the pavement outside our house. This was on a Tuesday evening, the bins are emptied on Tuesday mornings, so we wondered if it had perhaps fallen off the refuse lorry. So we disposed of it and thought little of it. About a week later another one appeared tucked in under the front of our hedge. It seemed a mildly irritating bit of fly tipping, but hey ho, that's life, binned it. The following Tuesday morning leaving the house I almost tripped over a metal bucket, full of ash, left on the pavement right outside the door. This was a bit much and I was quite irritated. Then as I walked up Abbotswood Road I saw a bag of ash outside another house and one more outside a house on Burrow Road. Last night I walked home and counted one bag at the entrance of Burrow Road, Three on Abbotswood and a last one on Talbot in addition to a further one under our hedge. This evening walking back from the station two more have popped up on St Francis Road. We are at something of a loss to work out the motivation behind this or how to stop it. Has anybody else noticed more of these little packages being distributed? It does not feel like a criminal matter but we would like it to cease.

Congratulations James Your hard work and dedication rewarded by topping the poll again. I couldn't be happier for you.

Unlurked, sharing warmth and sunshine from a socialist perspective since 2013. :0)

I go to Cornwall regularly. Going on Friday afternoon the trip will be 30 mins to 1hr longer. If you know this then for the extra night and waking up by the sea that is always my choice. From ED i go Tulse Hill, Streatham, Tooting bec, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, A3, M25, M3 then A303. Have a good weekend

First Mate, the ballot had Derwent, Elsie, Jarvis, Melbourne, Oxonian, Tintagel, and Zenoria in favour of the lunchtime CPZ about 55 to 45. Some other streets were overwhelmingly against so the total ballot comfortably against a cpz.

Once again we hear dour tones reminiscent of a sulky teenager. It must be unlurked offering his political opinions to you again James. You lucky boy.

Best just to ignore Unlurked John. He has some petty axe to grind against James Barber and does so, with the repetitivity of an unloved season, across the threads. There are always a couple in every constituency.

DJKQ you are dead wrong about the ammount of protection helmets offer. It may be reasonable to question their value compared to a perceived negative effect on car driver caution if they are used. There might even be weight to the public health advantage of greater cyclist numbers en mass in the absence of compulsary helmet laws. But the TRUTH is Cycle helmets significantly reduce fatal and life altering injuries in all catagories of blunt force trauma (low, medium and high velocity) Over my years as a trauma surgeon i have seen many tragedies wept over for lack of this basic cheap safety equipment. You might not wish to wear one and that is your right. But if one kid reads that they are not effective, believes you and stops wearing theirs, then that is a shame.

It's true. I have seen his arms.

Robert Glenister was in Sainsburys at the weekend.

Good luck to you both. If you can change it from being the local football and fruit machine venue, and bring in some quality food, then with its size and garden it could be the best pub in Dulwich.

James, thanks for getting on to them about the air con. They seem to listen to you in a way they do not to the general public so it is appreciated.

The gym was 29c again at half seven tonight. The member of staff who ran over when he saw me checking the thermometer said that they were going to change the heating from winter to summer mode tomorrow so I guess that we shall see.

Tonight the temperature in the gym was 29c at 8.15pm. There was no air coming from any of the vents and as usual the staff just looked blank about turning the air con on. This is a dangerous temperature for people doing physical activity. Something needs to change.

Tonight the temperature in the gym was 29c at 8.15pm. There was no air coming from any of the vents and as usual the staff just looked blank about turning the AC on. This is a dangerous temperature for people doing physical activity. Something needs to change.