EIR - Dulwich Hamlet Football Stadium [Dec 2021]

Planning application no. 16/AP/1232 Planning report GLA/0083c/01 dated 11 November 2019 Dulwich Hamlet FC, Champion Hill Stadium in the London Borough of Southwark planning  

Planning application no.19/AP/1867. 

The FOI requests below relate to the communications between the GLA and the London Borough of Southwark in respect of the above planning applications. The FOI requests below also relate to significant differences between Planning report D&P/0083a/01 dated 27 June 2016 and Planning report GLA/0083c/01 dated 11 November 2019. 

Information request 1 –  Please provide me with: All communications between, the London Borough of Southwark and the Greater London Authority with regard to Planning report D&P/0083a/01 dated 27 June 2016, Planning application no. 16/AP/1232. Please note that all communications will include emails, any attachments to emails, faxes, physical communications so for example letters, facsimile and any minutes of face to face or audio or online meeting, either sent by London Borough of Southwark to the Greater London Authority or sent by the Greater London Authority to the London Borough of Southwark. 

Information request 2 – Please provide me with: All communications between the London Borough of Southwark and the Greater London Authority with regard to Planning report GLA/0083c/01 dated 11 November 2019, planning application no.19/AP/1867. Please note that all communications are requested to include emails, any attachments to emails, faxes, physical communications so for example letters, facsimile and any minutes of face to face or audio or online meeting, either sent by London Borough of Southwark to the Greater London Authority or sent by the Greater London Authority to the London Borough of Southwark. 

Information request 3 –  Planning report D&P/0083a/01, dated 27 June 2016 (Planning application no. 16/AP/1232) at paragraph 100, under the heading of ‘Conclusion,’ provides: ‘‘London Plan policies on the principle of development, MOL and protected open space, housing, urban design and inclusive design, climate change and transport are relevant to this application. Whilst the application is generally supported in principle, however there remains some outstanding strategic planning concerns. Further discussion is therefore required regarding the following issues:  Principle of development: The principle of the development of the new pitch on MOL is accepted. However, further information should be provided by the applicant to justify the loss of the protected open space. The Council should also confirm it is satisfied with the reprovision of local open space in accordance with its own assessment of needs. Appropriate mechanisms should be secured to ensure the financial stability of the Club and the community benefits of the scheme. ‘’  Emphasis added. It is noted that Planning report GLA/0083c/01, dated 11 November 2019) Planning application no.19/AP/1867), at paragraph 18, refers to the London Plan Policy 7.18 and cites the requirement that replacement of one type of open space with another is unacceptable unless an up-to-date needs assessment shows that this would be appropriate. 

However, the conclusion or indeed any other part of the Planning report GLA/0083c/01, dated 11 November 2019, planning application no.19/AP/1867, does not require the council to confirm that it is satisfied with the reprovision of local open space in accordance with its own assessment of needs. Such a confirmation, as can be seen above, was requested in Planning report D&P/0083a/01, dated 27 June 2016, Planning application no. 16/AP/1232.   

Please provide me with: An explanation of why there was no requirement that the London Borough of Southwark, so the ‘council’, confirm that it is satisfied with the reprovision or replacement of local open space in accordance via its own assessment of needs in Planning report GLA/0083c/01, dated 11 November 2019, planning application no.19/AP/1867 whilst there was such a requirement in the conclusion of planning report D&P/0083a/01, dated 27 June 2016, Planning application no. 16/AP/1232.   

Financial stability of the club 

The Planning report D&P/0083a/01 dated 27 June 2016 under the title of conclusion provided: Principle of development: The principle of the development of the new pitch on MOL is accepted. However, further information should be provided by the applicant to justify the loss of the protected open space. The Council should also confirm it is satisfied with the reprovision of local open space in accordance with its own assessment of needs. Appropriate mechanisms should be secured to ensure the financial stability of the Club and the community benefits of the scheme.  Emphasis added It is noted that Planning report GLA/0083c/01, dated 11 November 2019, does not address the need for any appropriate mechanisms that would be secured to ensure the financial stability of the Club. Indeed, it provides, under the title of Financial Considerations at paragraph 61, that there ‘are no financial considerations at this stage’.  

It is also noted that Planning report GLA/0083c/01, dated 11 November 2019, does not address the need for any appropriate mechanisms that would be secured to ensure the community benefits of the scheme.   

Information request 4 –  Please provide me with: An explanation of why there was a requirement that, ‘Appropriate mechanisms should be secured to ensure the financial stability of the Club’ in Planning report D&P/0083a/01 (dated 27 June 2016) whilst there was no such requirement in Planning report GLA/0083c/01 (dated 11 November 2019).