Dulwich Hamlet FC’s new stadium development will not include Southwark Council’s target of 35 per cent affordable housing due to “viability”, it has been revealed.
The development to be carried out by the club’s owners, the Hadley Group, will see a new stadium built and 155 residential properties built on the old location.
But with the costs of the new stadium totaling around £5million, Hadley have said they would not be able to deliver the target of 35 per cent.
A spokesperson for the Hadley Group said they have “sought to maximise the amount offered by this stadium-led scheme” but with the cost it makes it difficult.
They said: “The level of provision makes no allowances for the costs of delivering a 4,000-capacity 3G stadium (including 870 seats, improved match day facilities, an all-weather artificial pitch and covered terraces behind each goal) for such a popular, local club and surrounding community.
“The costs are around £5million pounds. Without this considerable investment, the 35 per cent target would be delivered – but there would be no new ground for the Football Club or facilities for the community to use.
“The 35 per cent target is understandable for residential-led schemes, and our scheme at Camberwell Green was delivered with exactly that amount – but for this stadium-led development, the delivery of the club’s stadium and leisure facilities are central to the scheme and the associated and significant costs must therefore be considered when assessing the viability of the scheme.
“We understand the desire to maximise the level of affordable housing, but this should be balanced against the considerable benefits being offered by the scheme in building a new Community Stadium, providing good community facilities, and handing DHFC out of private ownership completely and debt-free into the control of its fans.”