New Plough Lane

AFC Wimbledon, a Phoenix Club of Wimbledon FC, has always stated as one of its aims to return to the "spiritual home" of Wimbledon, Plough Lane. This aim is the basis of a project to create a new purpose-build stadium within the vicinity of the old stadium, or on the site of the Wimbledon Greyhound Track, located next door to the old Plough Lane Stadium. Plans to develop the greyhound site as either a multi-purpose stadium or as a football stadium have been publicised frequently by the club and the media since establishment but until 2013 no official steps towards acquiring the site had been taken. AFC Wimbledon announced that discussions with Merton Council over a joint bid for the greyhound stadium and surrounding land, in cooperation with Galliard Homes, including outline plans for a new community-focused football stadium to be developed on the site, as part of the councils "call-for-sites" scheme.^[23] The site would also include 600 residential units and a wide range of shops and community facilities. A similar rival development is also planned by the greyhound stadium to expand on the site and the pros and cons of each submitted plan for the site will be weighed up by the council who will choose which development to back, announced in March 2014. If the plans are approved, AFCW predict that it could be 2016 before construction even begins.