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Wimbledon Community Stadium[citation needed]
[[File:Artist's impression[by whom?][citation needed] of the proposed[by whom?][citation needed] stadium|frameless|upright=1.14]]
Full nameWimbledon Community Stadium[citation needed]
LocationLondon Borough of Merton
OwnerAFC Wimbledon (50%) and
Harlequins Rugby League (50%)[citation needed]
Capacity10,000[citation needed]
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke groundNo date confirmed
Built(Expected completion June 2015)[citation needed]
Tenants
AFC Wimbledon and Harlequins Rugby League

The Wimbledon Community Stadium is a proposed[by whom?][citation needed] stadium in the Merton borough of south-west London with a projected initial capacity of 11,000.[citation needed] It is planned[by whom?][citation needed] to be the new home to AFC Wimbledon.

Background

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The ground is to be a multi-use football and rugby league stadium owned and financed by AFC Wimbledon.[citation needed] The stadium is to have an initial capacity of 11,000,[citation needed] with the ability to expand to 20,000 in the future if necessary.[citation needed]

AFC Wimbledon

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AFC Wimbledon currently play at Kingsmeadow in Kingston upon Thames. The freehold of the site is owned by Kingston Council. The leasehold, which safeguards the site for the borough's football team, was originally held by Kingstonian FC but is currently owned by AFC Wimbledon having been purchased from the previous owners in March 2003.[1]

Kingsmeadow had a capacity of 6,299[2] but currently can only accommodate 4,720 spectators[3] following minor improvement works[4] that were required as the club rose through the leagues to play in the Conference National.[5] AFC Wimbledon had looked into redeveloping Kingsmeadow to take it to a 10,000 seat capacity,[6] and would need to redevelop the Fans Stadium to stay in the Football League beyond a three-year deadline.[7]

AFC Wimbledon have actively sought a return to their spiritual home of Merton,[8][9] something they have full council support to do[10] and have talked to Merton planners with a view to redeveloping the site at the Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium,[11] the Wimbledon Stadium standing beside the old Plough Lane ground which was finally knocked down in 2002 and replaced by a Sainsbury's supermarket.[12]

Harlequins Rugby League

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Harlequins Rugby League currently play at the Twickenham Stoop in south west London. They are tenants of the rugby union club Harlequins at the Stoop. The Super League club first announced plans to build their own stadium back in 2002[13] and since the club was founded in 1980 they have been based at seven different venues around the capital.[14] Harlequins RL Chairman David Hughes, a former Director at Charlton Athletic was assisted by the RFL in his search for Harlequins own stadium.[15] The European Super League club have a lease on the Twickenham Stoop for the next three years.[15] According to the feasibility study, the London Super League side were identified as the second anchor tenant on the site along with a 50% share in the ownership and financing of the site. The report said funding could be provided entirely by the private sector, but did not rule out public money and suggested different models for how the stadium could be managed as a year-round venture.

Project funding

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The cost of the project is estimated at between £12 million and £18 million, with AFC Wimbledon covering the costs of construction and further planning. AFC Wimbledon had already sanctioned feasibility studies into the prospect of their own stadium,[16][9] prior to their partner coming on board.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Long-term future of Kingstonian FC could be secured as AFC Wimbledon plans ground improvements5". Kingston Government. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ "AFC Wimbledon Football Club - Kingsmeadow Stadium". Fanzone. Retrieved 18-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ^ "AFC Wimbledon". Conference Grounds. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ "What's happening at Kingsmeadow #5". AFC Wimbledon. 28-06-2009. Retrieved 18-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  5. ^ "The Fans' Stadium, AFC Wimbledon". Hother Associates. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ "Hogmsill Valley". K2 Consultancy. 2010. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ^ "AFC Wimbledon rising from the ashes". Soccerway. 14-08-2007. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  8. ^ "AFC Wimbledon's return to Merton from Kingston gets political backing". Wimbledon Guardian. 07-05-2009. Retrieved 19-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  9. ^ a b "HELP AFC WIMBLEDON'S POSSIBLE RETURN TO MERTON". WISA. 13-07-2007. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Open Space Key Issues raised - LB Merton LDF Key Issues Consultation" (PDF). Merton Council. 28-03-2006. Retrieved 26-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  11. ^ "AFC Wimbledon plan to go home to Plough Lane". Evening Standard. 28-05-2009. Retrieved 19-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  12. ^ "AFC Wimbledon eye historic return to Plough Lane". Daily Mail. 10-12-2007. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Broncos aim for own ground". BBC. 13-02-2002. Retrieved 18-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  14. ^ a b "Harlequins RL would relocate again to have own stadium". BBC. 16-02-2011. Retrieved 18-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Professional sports stadium development & process: the case of AFC Wimbledon" (PDF). University of Portsmouth. 21-01-2011. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  16. ^ . 'Press Association'. 20-05-2011 http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iXQJaN3-hgzdtY2xmDWCz9XX4cZw. Retrieved 21-05-2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
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