The Dons are coming home to Merton, but councillors in Wandsworth are less than pleased.

On Thursday, December 10, Merton Council's planning committee gave unanimous backing to AFC Wimbledon's plans to return to the borough, converting the greyhound stadium in Plough Lane, just metres from the Wandsworth border, to a 20,000 seat stadium, initially 11,000 seats.

In addition, there will be 602 new homes built, squash courts, a creche and a fitness centre.

December 10: AFC Wimbledon stadium will be 'the end of greyhound racing', but the sport will fight Plough Lane plans

December 11: Cheers and hugging as AFC Wimbledon have Plough Lane stadium plans unanimously approved by Merton Council

December 16: AFC Wimbledon fans still celebrating victory - but will decision go into extra time?

Wandsworth Council had urged its Merton counterpart to wait for more information before making a decision, and now say the decision should be rigorously scrutinised when it comes before Boris Johnson at City Hall next year. 

Planning spokeswoman Councillor Sarah McDermott said: "We have concerns about the impact of this largescale development on residents and businesses in our borough, especially in Earlsfield and Tooting, and so we urged planning councillors in Merton to seek answers to the questions we had raised before deciding this scheme.

"Unfortunately they have not listened to that advice and we have now been placed in a situation where residents in our borough will almost certainly suffer disruption and inconvenience as a result. 

"We believe this impact will be so adverse and so serious that the Mayor now needs to intervene and scrutinise this application much more comprehensively.

"In particular the Mayor needs to look at its impact on neighbouring communities in terms of transport infrastructure, parking and other local services."

Coun McDermott stressed that the council is not opposed to development on the site, or its use as a football ground, but said this application failed to address problems the plans create. 

Fans and club staff have campaigned to return to the Wimbledon area ever since AFC Wimbledon were formed as a splinter club from Wimbledon FC, which moved to Milton Keynes in 2002.

Following the decision, the team's chief executive Erik Samuelson was hailed as a saint by fans who chanted his name in the council chambers.

He said the club could start building work a year from now as a safe estimate.

He said: "In a perfect world, we would be finished in two years from now and move in immediately, but would we want to move in out of season? I don't know."

The decision was also criticised by chairman of the Wimbledon Park Residents' Association Iain Simpson.

He said: "A significant number of major issues remain unsolved to the satisfaction of many residents who ultimately will bear the impact of this development.

"It seems an opportunity for affordable housing has been denied.

"So ends the fight. An appeal is not something we have considered."

Irish businessman Paschal Taggart, who had hoped to upgrade the existing greyhound stadium as well as build homes and a sports centre, raised concerns about flooding and traffic consequences around the site.

He said: "How Labour councillors could agree to ten per cent affordable housing on the site as opposed to every other council’s insistence on 40 per cent has to be questioned.

"At the outset our team worked on the basis that the Merton plans would eventually be professionally and correctly examined by the Mayor’s office, and we now await their determination."