Greyhound racing in London could become a thing of the past, as London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently granted Merton Council the right to decide if Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium will be replaced by AFC Wimbledon’s new stadium. Merton Council officials previously have expressed their desire to have League 1 football club AFC Wimbledon to return to Plough Lane. The development would include a 20,000-seat stadium, 600 homes and a leisure center.
With greyhound tracks closed in Wembley, West Ham, Clapton, Hackney and Walthamstow, Khan’s decision effectively means the end of the sport in London. He has rejected calls for a public inquiry and intends to move quickly on Plough Lane redevelopment, he said. Khan stated, “The stadium and the leisure facility proposed alongside it will be of great benefit to Londoners and the wider community for generations to come.”
As AFC Wimbledon has risen in the ranks of English football with six promotions in 13 seasons, officials have been seeking a new stadium away from the current 5,000-seat Kingsmeadow facility.
