A group of fans have rallied to support a plan to bring AFC Wimbledon back to Plough Lane by transforming Wimbledon dog track into a football stadium.

Bring the Dons Home launched their campaign in support of the club’s stadium proposal on Sunday during the Winter Wonderland festivities in the town centre.

AFC Wimbledon have submitted a joint bid with Galliard Homes, who co-own the site, in September for a 20,000 capacity football stadium at the Plough Lane stadium.

Proposals include plans for a 11,000 capacity stadium, with flexibility to expand to 20,000, banqueting and conference facilities, 600 residential homes and a wide range of shops and community facilities.

A spokesman for the group said: "AFC Wimbledon’s success since its founding in 2002 has been remarkable.

"The team has risen from the Combined Counties League back to the Football League.

"And the club’s achievements have proved that a fan-run, community-focused, truly ethical organisation can compete in the professional game.

"A new ground back in the borough will end more than 20 years in exile and allow the club to set its sights still higher, firmly embedded once more in the heartland of the area it is proud to represent."

Currently 2203 people have clicked in support of the plans on the group’s website.

We Want Wimbledon, an opposing group set up by fans of the current dog racing community, is also campaigning to secure the stadium but for use as a world class dog track.

A competing plan for the site has been submitted by Hume Consulting on behalf of businessman Paschal Taggart who wants to build a world class greyhound stadium to the site.

His plans feature a four tier 4,500 capacity greyhound racing stadium, new squash club with seven courts, supermarket and residential apartments as well as a multi storey car park, medical centre, dance studio and gymnasium.

The Plough Lane site has been designated for "sporting intensification" and is the subject of a draft sites and policies document by Merton Council.

The document, which outlines planning regulations for all sites in Merton, will be subject to a public inquiry led by an independent inspector appointed by the secretary of state.

A final report will be given in early 2014 at which point the council will adopt the plan allowing formal applications for the site to be accepted.

For details on both bids go here.

 

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