The Linford Christie Stadium (pictured) first opened in 1967
Hammersmith & Fulham Council has launched a consultation with local residents on the future of the Linford Christie Stadium.
This consultation closed on 12 June 2019.
We’d like to know what you think
The Linford Christie Stadium first opened in 1967 (as The West London Stadium), and most people agree it has seen better days. The facilities are outdated and are no longer of a standard which users are entitled to expect.
The site could better serve the needs of local residents. We’d like to improve and develop the site – including the associated sports pitches outside the stadium. But before we draw up any firm plans, we want to know what you’d like to see there.
Environmental impact
The stadium is part of Wormwood Scrubs, one of the borough’s most important open spaces, so any development would have to be environmentally sensitive. We want to find a new plan that provides exercise and recreational facilities for the public, while protecting the valuable flora and fauna of the Scrubs.
Financial position
The stadium is currently losing money. It’s owned by the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust and the council is the sole trustee of the Trust. The Trust’s main income is from car parking, and has to go towards the maintenance of the Scrubs as well as other green spaces in the borough. H&F Council currently pays for the maintenance of the stadium.
This arrangement cannot continue, given the ongoing cuts to its finances that the council faces from central government.
Planning for the future
Now is a perfect time to take another look at what local people want on the site so the council and the Trust have agreed to run a joint public consultation on the future of the site.
The findings of this consultation and any proposals that come forward in the process will need to be approved by the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust Committee.
They may also need approval from the Charity Commission and the Mayor of London, as well as the Ministry of Defence (because the Army has always been entitled to use of the Scrubs).
Following that, we’d draw up specific development proposals on which residents would again be consulted before any formal decisions are taken. We believe in doing things with residents, not to them.
