Merton Council's proposal to build a floodlit artificial grass pitch (AGP) at Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Fields in Motspur Park could threaten the existence of the Wimbledon Hawks, the borough's only Australian Rules football team, according to club officials. The team, which has used the fields for over a decade, says the proposed pitch would encroach on its oval playing surface, and the club has received no assurances from the council about relocation.
Club warns of existential threat from pitch plans
"If we don't have a place to play, we don't have a club," said Richard Beall of the Wimbledon Hawks. The team of around 150 male and female members is the only Aussie Rules team in Merton. The council's plan places the AGP in the eastern corner of the field, with current projections showing it cutting into the oval surface the Hawks use. "The very first diagram I saw cut off about a quarter of our playing surface," Mr Beall told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
Merton's Playing Pitch Strategy, which drives the plans for three AGPs across the borough, states that if an AGP is built at Sir Joseph Hood, the Wimbledon Hawks must be carefully relocated within the site to ensure the sport can continue. However, Mr Beall said the club has not seen any model of how both surfaces would coexist. "I haven't seen a model of how they will accommodate both the Australian Rules surface and AGP," he said.
Relocation challenges and site constraints
Last year, the Hawks had to relocate to Wimbledon Park for the entire season due to flooding, but that site is unavailable each summer because of the Wimbledon Championships. Mr Beall noted that Sir Joseph Hood offers unique facilities, including parking and changing rooms in the pavilion. "I can't for the life of me think of another pitch that would have the same facilities as this place," he said.
The LDRS understands the AGP plans could also affect other teams using the playing fields. Alongside Sir Joseph Hood, Merton Council plans AGPs at nearby Joseph Hood Recreation Ground and Raynes Park High School Sports Ground. These projects will be funded through a mix of national sports grants, including Football Foundation funding, council capital funds, and developer contributions, as part of Merton's Borough of Sport ambition to improve affordable access to sports facilities.
Community opposition and consultation concerns
Mr Beall and members of the Friends of Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Fields argue the council selected the site without proper consultation. "This is a promotion, not a consultation," said Martin Halsall, Chair of the Friends group, recalling the council's recent information-sharing efforts. "We have thought from day one that this is a done deal."
The Friends conducted their own survey of local residents, claiming that 80 per cent of 732 responses opposed the AGP plans. They say the council has ignored this and failed to explain why the playing fields were chosen. "They are treating the Playing Pitch Strategy like a papal declaration," Mr Halsall said. "We do not want to be labelled as anti-sport. We just don't know how the football trumps everything else here."
Green space, flooding, and environmental worries
The Friends argue the area already lacks open, freely accessible green space. "While it may look like there is a lot of green space around us on Google maps, a lot of that is private land," one Friend noted. "This place is rammed on the weekend," said Bernie McAllister, Treasurer of the Friends group, adding that local residents rely heavily on the park. "What we discovered during Covid was how great this place is," added Sarah Ditch.
The park could see thousands of new residents if large local development schemes proceed. The Motspur Park gas holders site, just behind Beverley Brook, is due for redevelopment with plans for nearly 600 homes approved by City Hall earlier this year. "This will be their back garden," Mr Halsall said, arguing that local transport connections are not equipped for the influx.
Environmental concerns include the risk of rubber crumb from the 3G surface entering the nearby nature reserve or Beverley Brook, and the expansion of the existing car park onto green space. Opponents have also called for significant investment in flood prevention, noting the fields regularly become waterlogged.
Council response and next steps
Merton Council said surveys are under way to assess and minimise the scheme's impact on wildlife and the environment. Plans include replacing modified grassland with lowland meadow and creating new habitats through tree planting. Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Merton's Cabinet Member for Sport and Heritage, told the LDRS: "We know Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Field is an important destination for grassroots sport in Merton, and we want to provide local clubs and the wider community with a more reliable place to play all year round, including increasing times of extreme weather."
She added: "We know some residents have strong views about the proposed artificial grass pitch, and I would like to reassure them that we're taking a careful, considered approach to developing these plans. Our mission to become London's Borough of Sport means it's essential we invest in our pitches and sporting spaces so that everyone can enjoy quality facilities on their doorstep. Our Playing Pitch Strategy, and the external recommendations anchoring it, show we need to create more artificial grass pitches in our borough to meet the rising demand for sport locally."
The council has encouraged residents to visit its website for more information and complete its online survey. Feedback will be considered as part of the planning application, which the council aims to submit by the end of the year.
