Further to discussions with the applicant, we are happy to work with them to state the following:

In an email sent out on 26 April 2021, about the new licensing application submitted by Carshalton Athletic Football Club, we inadvertently included a number of inaccurate statements.

We had no intention of doing so, but we made a genuine mistake in reading the application. It was wrong to publish an email to all of our residents before being certain of the content and we now realise how hamful it was to send our newletter.

For the avoidance of any doubt, we are happy to clarify that:
1. Carshalton Athletic Football Club has not applied for a license for Adult Entertainment and is not intending to do so.
2. Carshalton Athletic have not applied for a license that increases it opening hours
3. Carshalton Athletic have not applied for a license that increases it times of entertainment
4. Carshalton Athletic have not sought to serve alcohol in new areas of the ground.

We apologise the club, its members and all the residents who were misled by our incorrect statements.

Councillors Jill Whitehead, Alan Salter and Hamish Pollock previously reported that Sutton Council’s Planning Committee unanimously threw out Carshalton Athletic Football Club’s two major planning applications on 22nd January 2014. These applications were for (1) the increased use of the floodlights; and (2) the replacement of the turf pitch with a “3G” plastic pitch.

The Football Club appealed against the Council’s decision. The appeal was heard by the Planning Inspectorate based in Bristol, an unelected Government agency with no local connections. The Council had no right to oppose this appeal under planning law.

The Planning Inspectorate visited the site on 26^th January 2015, and made a decision on 5^th February 2015. They allowed CAFC’s appeal overturning Sutton’s Council’s decision. The Planning Inspectorate granted CAFC planning permission for:- 1) the use of six floodlights under application C2008/59870/FUL; and 2) the replacement of the natural turf pitch with an artificial pitch (3G) at the War Memorial Sports Ground, Colston Avenue, under application C2013/68433/FUL.

However, the Planning Inspectorate imposed several planning conditions including:- 1) That the artificial pitch will not lead to an increase in flood risk either within the site or elsewhere; 2) To install approved drainage arrangements before the pitch is used; 3) A limitation in hours of use from 9am to 9.15pm on weekdays or Saturdays (except weekday fixtures when it may be used until 11pm) and until 8pm on Sundays; 4) The site shall only be used as a community facility and it shall NOT be operated as a commercial 5 a side football centre.

We understand that CAFC will be applying to the Sports Foundation, another government agency, for funds to install the artificial 3G pitch.

The Council’s Development Control Committee will be meeting on Wednesday 22nd January 2014 to discuss the latest pair of important planning applications submitted by the Carshalton Athletic Football Club (which is a tenant) to Sutton Council (which is also the landlord as well as the planning authority). 

This pair of applications will have most potential effect on those residents living in Colston Avenue and the so-called Poets’ Estate area such as Coleridge Avenue, Court Drive, Shirley Avenue, Mead Cresecent and Brookfield Avenue.

Local councillors Jill, Hamish and Alan aim to attend and wish to ensure that the councillors on the committee are kept fully informed of residents’ views about the two interlinked planning applications no. C2013/68432/FUL (increased use of floodlights) and C2013/68433/FUL (new artificial pitch in lieu of grass pitch).

Residents may wish to attend the meeting which is held in public in Meeting Room 1 of the Civic Offices, St. Nicholas Way, Sutton SM1 1EA. The meeting starts at 7.30pm and this item is Agenda Item 2, so it should be heard shortly after 7.30pm.

Details can be viewed online by clicking on:- http://sutton.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s30510/1%20-%20War%20Memorial%20Sports%20Ground%20-%2068432%2068433%20-%20REPORT.pdf

As we have previously notified residents, there are two current planning applications:-

1) a new “3G” pitch (no. C2013/68433) and

2) for use of flood lighting for training on Monday to Saturdays up to 21.15 hours and on Sundays up to 18.00 hours, except for weekday games and cup matches up to 22.30 and 23.00 hours (no. C2013/68432), thus changing the current planning conditions for hours of use

Cllr. Jill Whitehead says:

“The planning applications for the proposed 3G pitch and related flood lighting matters will be heard by the Development Control Committee of the Council, probably in January. 

Councillors such as myself, Cllr. Alan Salter and Hamish Pollock can represent their local residents at the DCC, if residents so wish. 

Local concerned residents may also wish to speak at DCC yourself (4 minutes are usually allowed for each speaker at the discretion of the committee chair), by letting the Mr. Peter Snow, the committee manager (E-mail: peter.snow@sutton.gov.uk) know when the date of the relevant DCC meeting is announced. Proposed speakers will need to say which body they are representing. The Chair of the Development Control Committee will decide which groups can speak. 

The statutory public consultation for this planning application is currently taking place (6th to 27th December) according to national planning rules, and if residents have objections they can send them into the Council’s Planning Department at Denmark Road or via the Council’s website. 

It is important to note that only planning matters can be considered by the DCC – these include e.g. those things to do with traffic, parking, hours of use, noise, floodlighting, flooding, nature conservation, trees. It is up to the DCC to decide if it wishes to approve, defer (postpone) to another meeting or to reject the planning application.

As the Council abides by national planning rules set by central government, the DCC cannot consider non-planning related matters such as the value of a property, personal views about a planning applicant, or commercial considerations.

As it is the members of the Development Control Committee who will make the decision, residents will need to make their  views known to them at the DCC meeting when it is called, but you can only discuss planning matters. Officers can advise you further.”

Cllr. Alan Salter says:

“We’ve been told that 3 site notices were displayed and letters hand delivered to 338 neighbouring properties on 5^th December 2013. Planning officers have however visited the yesterday afternoon and have noted that the notice displayed on the Colston Avenue entrance is no longer there. The other two notices at the entrance to the recreation ground in Brookfield Avenue and Wrythe Lane are still in place.

The minimum statutory requirements for planning applications of this nature are either the display of site notices OR letters of notification to neighbouring properties. In this case the Council has undertaken both forms of notification and accordingly has met the minimum statutory requirements. Unfortunately notices are often removed by others and the Council does not have the resources to ensure that they always remain in place, hence this Council also sends letters of notification to neighbours.

Planning officers assure us that the Council will not make a decision prior to 21 days from the notification letters of 5^th December, and in practice the Council will accept letters of representation up until the point that it makes a decision. This will be at the 8^th January Development Control Committee at the earliest, but given the Christmas break could be later.Councillors and council planning officers are all aware of the strength of feeling of local residents regarding this site, and we are advised that all comments received prior to a decision being made will be taken into account.

There is also the opportunity for residents to attend the Committee and speak should they so wish.”

The latest planning application for the extended use of flood lights from Carshalton Athletic Football Club off Colston Avenue, Carshalton, is now in at the Council’s planning office, this is no. C2013/68432. You can look this up on the Sutton Council web site: www.sutton.gov.uk quoting the above number.

The planning application is for the use of floodlighting on Mondays to Saturdays up to 21.15 hours and on Sundays up to 18.00 hours apart from on 50 occasions (weekdays) when the floodlighting to be used up to 22.30 hours and 23.00 hours for cup games. (Variation of conditions 1, 2 and 3 attached to app. no. C2009/60729 which stated the floodlights shall be switched off 30 minutes after the final whistle but no later than 22.30 hours for league games and 23.00 hours for cup games, the use of the floodlights were limited to 120 matches per year and the use of the floodlights were limited to five times per year on Sundays. On these days the lights needed
to be switched off 30 minutes after the final whistle but no later than 18.30 hours).

Jill, Hamish and Alan certainly share many local residents’ concerns and we will do our best to ensure that local residents’ views are known to the council’s Development Control Committee in due course when the matter comes up for a decision. More in a future posting….

CAFC and the New Residents’ Consultative Committee….

The Carshalton Athletic Football Club Residents’ Consultative Committee has been set up by Sutton Council to deal with any areas of local residents’ concern. This group will include four residents chosen from a panel of eight to come from the immediate area of the club (CAFC). Also included will be your local Lib Dem councillors, a representative of Westmead Allotments and four Club representatives.

Cllr. Jill Whitehead says: “The group will meet quarterly and work according to an agreed constitution. It will consider the future plans of CAFC, and the actual operation of current planning conditions such as those to do with floodlights, noise, hours of opening, traffic and parking”.

The Club is likely to submit a planning application soon for a new “3G” pitch which will be heard by the Council’s Development Control Committee. This will include the normal statutory consultation of local residents by the Council (who are also the landlords), as well as the review of current planning conditions. This follows the proposal to vary the lease the Club holds as a tenant of the council to enable the Club to apply for funds from the Football Club Foundation.  More news in a future posting.

Residents in the vicinity of the football club off Colston Avenue, Carshalton will receive from Jill, Alan and Hamish in the next day or two a Special FOCUS leaflet. Please see link to the leaflet at the bottom of this posting.

We will be delivering the leaflet to all households in nearby roads in the Poets’ Estate (northern, eastern and middle sections as far as Kingsley Avenue) and also eastern end of Westmead Road, and all of Highfield Road and Rossdale. The leaflet contains the following text:-

Cllr. Jill Whitehead, Chair of the Council’s Environment & Neighbourhoods Committee, says: “Your ward councillors and three local resident representatives recently met the Carshalton Athletic Football Club Chairman (CAFC) and his team to discuss their plans for a new all-weather football pitch, to replace the current earth pitch. They intend to apply for substantial funds from the Football Association and submit a planning application to Sutton Council in the autumn, with building starting in summer 2014. They plan to replace current training activity in Wrythe Recreation Ground with activity on the all-weather pitch in the ground, thus reducing traffic and parking stress along Brookfield Avenue.

Cllr. Alan Salter adds: “In order to reduce other parking and traffic stress in the Colston Avenue area, the club plans to seek double yellow lines and road signage for its entrance in Colston Avenue, and also direct visitors to park in a largely unused alternative car park at the rear of the ground next to the Woodland Trust nature reserve, which can accommodate significant numbers of cars. We have asked the club to look at ways the new pitch (if it is agreed) could be shielded from residents in Mead Crescent to reduce noise and light problems e.g. by planting trees or erecting a noise barrier. CAFC is currently going door- to- door in local roads to seek local residents’ views on their proposals, and will report back shortly on their consultation exercise.

Cllr. Hamish Pollock, Chair of the Council’s Carshalton & Clockhouse Local Committee added: “We have also just been alerted to plans by Carshalton High School for Girls to build a new sports hall, on the adjacent site next to Carshalton Athletic Football Club. This could put extra parking pressure on residents in Brookfield Avenue, who have already commented to us about parental parking, and in other roads on the Poets Estate, as well as problems of lighting and noise currently referred to by local residents.”

More in a future posting.

FOCUS Special June 2013 Carshalton Athletic

Carshalton Central ward councillors Alan Salter and Hamish Pollock by The Ponds, Carshalton

Cllr. Hamish Pollock, Chair of Carshalton and Clockhouse Local Committee asks….

“Do you care about your local area and want to make a difference, please do come along and take part at 7.30pm on Tuesday 13th October 2015 ?”

•  Find out what decisions are being made by your local Councillors.
•  Learn about the historical ‘Past on Glass’ project.
•  Robins Way (the road leading to Carshalton Athletic Football Club off Colston Avenue) and minor parking proposals
•  Hear about Sutton’s New Local Plan (planning).
•  Discuss plans to improve your public areas.
•  Find out how to get involved with local decisions.

Carshalton Beeches Baptist Church, Banstead Road, SM5 3NL

Get in touch at:

E-mail: localcommittees@sutton.gov.uk; Tel: 020 8770 4391

Twitter: @LBSlocalcommittees