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Yes its good that Wimbledon didn't just disappear in the off season. Its great that it gets a farewell season, especially one that sees National Hot Rods and Brisca F1's back in the capital. Going to be great to the the National Saloon Stock Cars at Plough Lane too. I certainly don't remember them racing there before. There is mention of 44 being booked in which is great a Sunday Night.
This is what Wimbledon AFC are asking their fans to send to Historic England.
"Dear Senior Listing Advisor
In response to your request of 6th February for observations on your consultation report I write to make the following comments.
1) Your initial report on the site, published on 12 January 2016, stated:
- The stadium was extensively altered, rebuilt and extended after the Second World War, diminishing the overall architectural interest of the building;
- It is not as architecturally distinguished as the listed buildings at Walthamstow Stadium;
- Its historic interest does not outweigh the loss of architectural interest.
2) Although the Greyhound Stadium may contain one or two minor features of interest, such as the Mick the Miller mosaic (which, as you acknowledge, is of uncertain provenance) if these elements are deemed as worthy of preservation they could be satisfactorily preserved by being relocated to an appropriate site elsewhere, an approach that has been adopted successfully in similar situations across the country.
For example, when the original Wimbledon Football Club ground in Plough Lane was converted into residential housing, some architecturally important turnstiles were preserved by being moved to a comparable stadium owned by Heybridge Swifts FC, where I believe they are still in use today. I suggest that, if appropriate, an inventory of any worthwhile items at the Greyhound Stadium could be prepared and suitable homes found for them elsewhere.
3) The new plans for the site include a football stadium for AFC Wimbledon, as well as much-needed retail and community facilities. The local council and the GLA fully support this development because they believe it will provide a massive boost, both socially and economically, to an area that is seriously run-down and currently blighted by the dilapidated state of the Greyhound Stadium and its adjoining buildings.
4) The new plans will also see a reversion of the site to its original historical use, as Wimbledon’s football club played on the site before its reinvention as a greyhound stadium after they moved to a second site further up Plough Lane.
In conclusion I would emphasise that there is nothing in your report that indicates any need to change your original conclusion. I would, therefore, urge you not to list this building and to expedite this decision as quickly as possible so that the new stadium plans and the regeneration of the area are not hidebound by long delays.
Yours"
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