The redevelopment of Dulwich Hamlet FC’s ground was always going to prove contentious – with the need to balance the strong desire to preserve and grow the football club with the equally important aim of preserving open land. And of course, any developer will want to build housing and make their cut.
If the case is made and accepted that variations to the Section 106 protections of the site need to be made, then that should only be done when overall plans for the redevelopment are given the nod. It makes no sense to try to do this beforehand – and what’s more it will immediately cause concern for those who think that open land will inevitably be lost.