Hi to all,

Please can you kindly read this important news update.

I just want to inform you that I have recently received offers of help for the campaign in which I am very grateful for from local individuals who are involved in grassroots football.

It is very important for the campaign at this stage to get the local support in order to preserve the hare and hounds football ground for the local community in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton.

Importantly, I would just like to point out to you that back in 2024, Waltham Forest Council decided to put the former Leyton FC football ground on their local strategy plan.

I don't know the reason why they decided to do it, but this could be a positive move for the campaign's aim to get local grassroots football clubs or any other local community sports organization interested in using the abandoned non-league football ground.

Also, the Hare and Hounds football ground has a covenant that states that the site has to be used as a sports ground. But I have been told that the private owners (not the council) of the ground are not showing any interest in the site being used as a football ground, and want to build flats and a health centre, including some facilities for sport, but those plans were rejected by Waltham forest council because of the high risk flooding from the local river lea. Also, the private owners are still leasing the land out to a local restaurant who are using the pitch as a car park and storage, which goes against the covenant.

I personally hope that Waltham Forest council will consider taking action to kindly force the private owners of the Hare and Hounds football ground to respect the covenant and to preserve the site, as it was to allow for the return of grassroots football back to the historic non-league ground to the local community there in Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, which is very important to do so.

If you are involved in local grassroots football in Waltham Forest and you would like to present your point of view to Waltham Forest Council that you want the Hare and Hounds football ground to be protected with an asset of community value order as an important part of the council's strategy local playing plan.

Then may I kindly suggest that you email Jennifer Whilby, who is the local Waltham Forest councillor for the Lea Bridge ward and a supporter of the campaign. You can get in contact with councillor Whilby at this address: Cllr.Jennifer.Whilby@walthamforest.gov.uk 

It is very important that Councillor Whilby gets to hear your concerns so that she can raise them with other Waltham Forest council ward councillors in future council meetings and, hopefully, with the private owners of the Hare and Hounds football ground.

Thank you

Nigel