Welling United FC want to build new stadium befitting community hub
By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter
Welling United Football Club have submitted ambitious plans for a new stadium and blocks of flats up to eight storeys tall.
Bexley council has received an application for a new stadium in Park View Road, the National League South club’s current home. The plan involves the creation of 104 new flats on the site.
The scheme would include a multi-purpose artificial pitch, space for 4,000 spectators and new changing rooms for players.
Planning documents from Create Design and Architecture, on behalf of the club and Lita Homes, said the football club currently operated in a ‘semi-derelict’ facility that was not fit for purpose.
The club – nicknamed The Wings – have been in existence since 1963. They support nearly 40 football teams and more than 500 players. But current changing facilities at the club were also said to be unusable.
The plans said: “Over the preceding years, the club has struggled to attract the major investment needed to maintain, improve and operate its facilities to the standards required by the Football Association and other ground safety bodies.
“This project represents a one time opportunity to address those shortcomings and allow the club and community to grow through the investment this project represents, and enjoy a period of stability to plan for the future.”
The proposal added that installing an artificial pitch to the site would be a ‘literal game-changer’, increasing the time available to use the pitch from 10 hours a week to more than 50 hours. The project would also reportedly increase the number of spaces for players in youth teams from 500 to 1,000.
All homes included in the proposal would have their own balcony, terrace or winter garden. The blocks would also include a communal roof garden with a soft play area for children and a bar and restaurant for the club on the ground floor.
Planning documents said: “Welling United FC have been rooted in the local community for many years, but their venue cannot serve as a football community hub due to the condition of the facilities and the nature of the playing surface.
“Given the club and the academy support almost 40 football teams, this represents a missed opportunity to foster a sense of belonging to a larger football community within Welling and Bexley.”
Pictured top: A CGI of the planned project as seen from the west stand (Picture: Create Design and Architecture/Welling United Football Club/Lita Homes)