On June 17th, 2025, Southwark Council’s cabinet approved the appropriation of a section of Greendale Playing Fields, including a derelict AstroTurf, for the Isthmian League Premier Division club’s development plans.

This land, combined with the stadium owners’ adjacent site, will enable the construction of a new all-weather pitch and terraces, alongside relocating a mobile phone mast as part of the first phase.

The decision followed a thorough planning process, including community input and a deputation by club chairman Ben Clasper, who thanked the council for their support.

The project secures the club’s long-term future in Southwark, where it has played for 123 years, and promises community benefits like increased sports access, regeneration, housing, and health improvements.

CLUB STATEMENT:

I am excited to report on the completion of a key step forward in our journey to commencing work on the new stadium.

Yesterday we attended the Southwark Council cabinet meeting in which the decision was taken to appropriate the section of land on Greendale for planning purposes that will become our new stadium.

We would like to thank the planning office, the members, the cabinet and the leader of Southwark Council for their careful stewardship through this phase. We have always advised our fans that it is important for due process to be allowed to take its course and this was no exception. The report and recommendations submitted by the planning office for members to vote on was carefully authored over the last few months and written representations were invited from the community and taken into consideration prior to their recommendation being presented to the cabinet.

I was honoured to be allowed to make a deputation in person at the cabinet meeting on behalf of the club and I would like to thank the cabinet for hearing our representation on the importance of this decision to the club and our community.

So, what does this really mean for us as a club and for fans? Our approved development scheme included land owned by the council and land owned by the stadium owners and this is the first administrative step towards development starting on both sections of land. It’s a huge leap forward for the club as it means we can now kick off our plans for building the new terraces and pitch on the derelict astro turf in parallel with the plans already underway on the stadium owner’s site with the first phase being the relocation of the mobile phone mast.

I look forward to coming back with an updated timetable for you and you can also read the council’s statement on this decision via the link below:

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/2025/kick-new-football-pitch-and-stadium-plan-dulwich-hamlet-fc

On behalf of the club

Ben Clasper, Chairman

COUNCIL STATEMENT:

Southwark Council has started the legal process that will create a new all-weather football pitch and help secure the long-term future of Dulwich Hamlet FC.

Greendale Playing Fields are next to Dulwich Hamlet FC’s stadium at Champion Hill and include an old Astro Turf that is derelict and no longer in use for organised sports.

Now the council has agreed the old astroturf and nearby land can be used for a new pitch for Dulwich Hamlet to enable their plans to build a new stadium at Champion Hill on the adjoining site and secure the club’s long-term future. Community access to the new sports facilities, including the pitch will be secured through legal agreements

The wider Greendale Playing Fields site will remain with the council and continue to be used by the public.

Dulwich Hamlet FC is a treasured and historical team in Southwark, having played their football in the borough for 123 years. They have used Champion Hill stadium since the early 1990s, pulling in crowds of local supporters for decades.

The land appropriation was agreed at Southwark Council’s Cabinet meeting on 17th June.

“Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is a well-loved part of life in Southwark with a rich history and thousands of local fans.

“The club has planning permission, granted in February 2022, to build a new stadium on a site that includes part of the adjacent Greendale Playing Fields.

“The council has now agreed to lease part of the site, which includes a derelict football pitch, to Dulwich Hamlet to enable the construction of a new all-weather pitch and to enable the club to build a new stadium and secure its future.

“A large part of Greendale will remain under council management and will continue to be used for open space to benefit local people and the community.”

“This decision is critical in allowing the work to commence to build a new stadium and secure the club’s future in its community for generations to come.

“We are excited by a development that is not just for the benefit of a much-loved club but will be the cornerstone for regeneration in our area and deliver on growth, housing and health with a huge increase in sporting provision for the community.

“The section of land being appropriated was our old ground before the club moved in 1931 to the current site and so this project brings us back to our home of a century ago to allow us to build for the century ahead.”

: Huge step for us- thank you @BenClasper and others involved

: Good to see now let’s get this done

: Incredible work from @BenClasper

: This is great news and a long time coming. Well done to all involved 💖💙 #DHFC

: Well done Ben and co.

: @BenClasper You’ve only gone and bloody done it. Tremendous achievement 👏

: Happy for the club, sad for my dog who’s favourite place to play ball is the pitch 🐶

: Well played

@TimEdwa49346352: Huge and great news!