Crunch meeting for L&Q dog track

A crunch meeting called by work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, will be held next Friday to assess controversial redevelopment plans for Walthamstow dog track in his North London constituency.

Last month campaigners, politicians and housing association L&Q, which owns the site, became embroiled in a dispute over a proposed 320-home, Conran-designed scheme.

L&Q’s development would involve the demolition of Walthamstow Stadium, which hosted greyhound racing for 75 years before its closure in 2008.

The plans attracted opposition from residents, greyhound enthusiasts and politicians including London mayor Boris Johnson and local MPs Iain Duncan Smith and Stella Creasy.

Our end goal is to get a deal struck between L&Q and Bob Morton

IAIN DUNCAN SMITH SPOKESPERSON

In a meeting to be hosted by Duncan Smith next week, L&Q chief executive David Montague will meet Waltham Forest council leader Chris Robbins and local businessman Bob Morton to thrash out plans for the site.

The meeting will be the first sign of progress since L&Q cancelled a consultation event in December, accusing campaigners of sending threatening messages to its staff and subjecting them to aggressive behaviour at an earlier event.

Morton’s offer to buy the Walthamstow Stadium site from L&Q seven months ago was rejected. He wants to redevelop and maintain the dog track and build 110 apartments on the land adjacent to the track.

Morton restated his offer before Christmas and said it was for £8m-£9m, not £4m as referred to in a L&Q press release.

A spokeswoman for Duncan Smith said: “Our end goal is to get a deal struck between L&Q and Bob Morton. We think it’s a very good offer.”

An L&Q spokeswoman said the firm welcomed the opportunity to meet with the local MPs and Bob Morton and to hear their views.