The results of the consultation on the future of Linford Christie stadium, situated on Wormwood Scrubs, have been published. The results are startling: over 80% of respondents appear to support Option 3, the 45,000 seat sports stadium and event space. Of some 8,700 responses received, 4,159 came from Greater London excluding LBHF, suggesting that the big push from QPR to encourage supporters to respond in favour of a major sports stadium was successful, QPR would then expect to relocate there.

The Hammersmith Society has supported the views of the Friends of Wormwood Scrubs that a development on this scale is simply not compatible with the character and use of the Scrubs and would place a completely unfeasible burden on local infrastructure (transport, road access, impact on neighbouring Hammersmith hospital). We understand that many people would like to see QPR stay in the Borough, but it should not be at the expense of the quality of life of local residents or the character of an open space of London-wide importance. Our response to the Council can be read here:

Hammersmith Society – response to Linford Chrtistie Stadium Proposals.pdf

The next step is for the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust (of which the sole trustee is LBHF Council) to review the consultation results in detail and set up an Outline Business case to look at next steps.

We are all familiar with the outcome of a referendum held with a mandate to fulfil the wishes of the majority, presenting a simple choice but ignorant of the consequences; we remind ourselves that for the Linford Christie stadium this was not a referendum, but a consultation, without the majority mandate, the statistical rigour and the franchise of a referendum, and without detail of the choices offered – and suggest the consultation results offer an interesting insight but an unreliable foundation for decision making. In this regard the Friends of WWS have requested:

• To see separation of responses from the 4 Northern LBHF wards and perhaps the rest of H & F all those from further afield – in case relatively local residents have a different view from those living less locally.
• An analysis of the location of the 4075 people who ‘use the facilities of the stadium’
• That the proposed Option 3 business case consultancy include also:
  • A proper analysis of the environmental impact of any development
  • A proper analysis of the legal obstacles to be overcome
  • A proper analysis of the conflicts of interest for LBHF as prospective developer, planning authority, and Trustee of the Scrubs
  • A review of the business cases for Option 2 in case Option 3 proves unviable for any reason

The business case for any 45,000 seat event space will have to be carefully scrutinised – it will be hugely expensive and its returns to LBHF would have to be large indeed to justify its cost, let alone its environmental impact. The legal procedures for newbuilding on the site which would encroach further into the Scrubs (which is Metropolitan Open Land and also enshrined in the Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879) would be complex and lengthy, and might be unsuccessful.

For the moment we plan to study the Charitable Trust’s proposals and liaise with the Friends of Wormwood Scrubs to work out next steps.