A businessman and a residents’ association were forced to defend themselves last night after residents angrily voiced concerns about plans for Plough Lane.

Detailed plans for a £100m new greyhound stadium which were unveiled exclusively to the Wimbledon Guardian last week were presented to residents who picked apart the plans at a public meeting hosted by the Wimbledon Park Residents’ Association (WPRA.)

Your Local Guardian:

Mr Taggart presents plans to residents

Businessman Paschal Taggart flew in from Dublin to speak at the meeting at Wimbledon Park Hall in Arthur Road.

He announced he would not be submitting a planning application to Merton Council as he expects the AFC Wimbledon bid for a 20,000 seater stadium to be rejected.

He would then plan to buy the land and push ahead with his plan later.

Concerns about his proposals centred around parking, the effect on house prices and congestion, as well as the fact the site, currently home to the Wimbledon Stadium, is on a high-risk flood plain.

This means it is highly likely to flood.

Your Local Guardian:

Left to right, Peter West and Iain Simpson from WPRA and Mr Taggart, right. 

But a residents’ survey of 200 people by WPRA indicated they preferred the greyhound stadium.

Speaking at the meeting, attended by just 30 people, WPRA chairman Iain Simpson said: "We have tried our best to be as impartial as we can by examining both proposals.

"A significant number were in support of the greyhound stadium.

"We took our view based on the survey and the fact that we think the scale of the AFC Wimbledon plans are inappropriate."

A report was carried out by RPS consulting for WPRA and Hume Consulting, which Mr Taggart is behind.

Speaking about the fact he amended plans based on the RPS report, Mr Taggart said: "A doctor’s surgery seemed like a good community thing to have - there’s no money in that for us.

"We put in a pre-school because it seems to fit."

He said the current stadium was a disgrace and he would not visit it with his wealthy friends.

He added: "My figures would be very profitable - I have done this several times.

"I’m a businessman first and a greyhound fan second."

Mr Taggart clashed with residents on his ‘relaxed’ view of transport to and from the proposed site.

Concerns were raised over 100 parking places for 340 apartments although there would be a multi-storey car park on the site as well, as well as the number of taxis driving to and from the stadium at night.

Peter West from WPRA said: "We think transport will be a big problem.

"If we have 10,000 supporters arriving and the only way they can get there is walking through residential areas, it is not very desirable.

"We do not share Mr Taggart’s relaxed attitude about transport."

Mr Taggart said if AFC Wimbledon’s plans are approved by the council, he will say goodbye to Wimbledon forever.

He said: "If Galliard Homes get their planning it’s all over for us and it is goodbye.

"I have lost more deals than I have won, it doesn’t bother me.

"I don’t live here."

AFC Wimbledon chief executive Erik Samuelson said the club would be submitting its plans to Merton Council ‘imminently.’

The council’s planning committee will decide whether to approve the plans in due course.

In a web poll on wimbledonguardian.co.uk 55 per cent of votes were in favour of the AFC Wimbledon plans compared to 39 per cent in favour of the new greyhound stadium plans.

Five per cent of the 4,581 votes cast were for something else to be constructed on the site.