Wimbledon Park Set To Get New Hall

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Community scheme gets the go-ahead

Plans for new community facilities as well as 20 flats in Wimbledon Park have been given the go-ahead by councillors.

The Arthur Road development will include a new community hall, cafe and office as well as one 3-bedroom flat, two 2-bedroom flats, 14 1-bedroom flats and three studio flats.

The community facilities will replace the former Wimbledon Park Memorial Hall which was closed by Merton Borough Council in 2003 and put up for sale. The site was not sold to developers until 2008 and the hall was demolished soon afterwards (right).

But the country went into recession not long after the hall was demolished and funds for redevelopment were not available, leaving the area without the promised facilities.

Last month the local government ombudsman ordered the council to pay Wimbledon Park Residents' Association £1,500 in compensation for delays in dealing with the sale.

The council's planning committee was told on Thursday (March 17) that the current plans have a 30% reduction in community facilities compared with an earlier scheme. The previous plans also only consisted of 14 flats.

But officers, who recommended approval, said the plans had been changed to make the scheme viable in the current economic climate. The plans were voted through by the planning committee.

The meeting had heard there had been 21 objections to the scheme, but there were a number of letters of support including one from the Wimbledon Park Residents' Association.

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March 18, 2011