The planning case officer for Bromley Council is Stephanie Gardiner who recommended that the application should be approved, but her recommendation was rejected by the plans sub-committee.

The councillors who made the refusal decision were: Lydia Buttinger (committee chair), Peter Dean, Nicky Dykes, Simon Fawthrop, Russell Mellor, Tony Owen,
Richard Scoates, Michael Turner (vice-chair) and Angela Wilkins.

Most of the Copers Cope Road residents didn't bother to submit comments, so they probably didn't care one way or another.

The most vigorous opponent was Richard Fielder who describes himself as chairman of Copers Cope Road Action Group (but that might just consist of himself).

The official refusal notice states: "The proposal would result in inappropriate development on Metropolitan Open Land as a result of the overdevelopment of the
site by way of the massing and bulk of the proposed extension, coupled with the extension to the parking area, which would result in a loss of openness, detrimental to the character, spatial standards and appearance of this area, of which no very
special circumstances exist."

Palace submitted the application in June 2015, so it has taken more than two years to reach the decision stage - plus a huge amount of money in consultancy,
architects and planning fees.

The potential prize is far too great important for the club to walk away, so it would be surprising if it does not lodge either an appeal or a revised application (or both).

The trouble with the appeal process is that it could take another 18 months or longer before it heard by a Planning Directorate inspector.

The club might be well advised to contact the opponents, asking them to suggest proposals that might prompt them to withdraw their objections.

That might lead to a situation where the club can lodge an appeal with an assurance from Bromley Council that it will not be contested.

The development will then be able to proceed.

Mostly agree with Pieceofcake and Forest Hillbilly.

Coun Russell Mellor represents the Copers Cope ward so it is a certainty that he will have been lobbied like fury by opponents of the proposal.

Which begs the question: did he approach the discussion with an open mind and did he vote impartially?

Re the point made by Pieceofcake, I think the councillors' Register of Interests should be published online (as is the practice with other councils).

Also, councillors should be compelled to state their home addresses (as at other councils) instead of putting c/o Bromley Council. Electors have a right to know where their representatives live

Apparently it was all down to the cars in the training ground car park being of much higher value than the cars in the driveways of Copers Cope Road!

I spottted Sammy Lee walking down the road towards the ground early one morning and wondered if he walked to work. You'd assume he drive in and park in the car park, so thought it was odd he was walking down the road. Unless they really are limited for space.