Residents say living next to a Premier League training ground is causing them problems – including traffic “chaos” and constant parking issues.
Copers Cope Road in Beckenham, south-east London can be “mayhem” because of Crystal Palace FC’s facility, locals claim.
And they fear a serious accident could happen soon.
Crystal Palace’s pitches and academy cover 50 acres on the road which is around half an hour by train to central London.
Anthony, 54, who declined to give his surname, has lived on the street with his wife for 14 years – and says the biggest issue is the parking.
He said: “The facility is good and the people who work there are nice but there is a big problem with the traffic.
“For most of us that is the biggest issue because when that is bad its absolute chaos.
“There are horns honking and people arguing. Kids are always running across the street to get to their parents.
“It is really dangerous. When there is a tournament on all the parents gather outside my door.
“There is non-stop construction, and the constant noise is annoying. There is no end in sight. We often have to close the windows to keep the noise out.”
The area was also recently up in arms over approved plans for four 21-metre-tall floodlights being installed around the central pitch.
The project was given the green light earlier this summer despite objections from residents.
Some said they were concerned the addition would transform the grounds into a “stadium by stealth”.
Anthony added: “We are quite worried about the plans for new floodlights, as we have bedrooms on that side of the house with a view of the grounds.”
The IT worker says the floodlights issue has “brought the community together.”
He also described his frustration with how the football club and council have responded to the problems.
Anthony claimed: “Overall, the problem is the lack of concern for the local residents. They never speak to us.
“Their view is that if it happens outside of their gate, it is not their problem.
“That hasn’t been helped by Bromley Council being so reluctant to do anything. I have made a hobby of objecting to them.”
Howard Kanini, 65, is an interior decorating consultant who has worked at many of the houses along the road.
He says that all the residents are constantly complaining about the issues caused by the training ground.
He said: “I know all the residents on this road and have had meetings with them about the problems this has caused.
“During the first two weeks of the summer break, it is absolute mayhem. You can’t get out of your driveway.
“The footballers also drop their cars off late at night and rev them loudly. That is not behaviour for a residential area.
“It is just constant. It is all a nuisance. The council has taken away a lot of parking bays.
“You get wannabe boy racers. Dogs and cats have been killed along here.
“There have been some really horrific accidents.”
Howard says he is also concerned about the new floodlights, which he says could be installed at any time as residents haven’t yet been updated.
He added: “There are bats that live in the nature around here and the new floodlights will scare them away. They should have done tests.
“A lot of the residents are bracing themselves for when the lights are here as there will be light pollution.”
Carol Sulivan who has lived on the road with her husband Joe for 25 years says the road has changed a lot over the years and has now become like a “racetrack.”
The resident, who is in her late 60’s, said: “The problem is the parking from the parents.
“Thankfully the council have put in some parking restrictions now because before we couldn’t even get out of our drive.
“The parents park on either side of the road in big SUVs to drop their kids off and people can’t see anything.
“This road is a racetrack. I really worry about the youngsters. I have objected to them before because I am really worried about the local wildlife.
“The road is often part of a bus route, and the buses find it really hard to get down here.
“I just wish the club would let parents use their car park so they wouldn’t have to come out here.”
Thomas Alline, 38, has lived in his home for four years with his two young children and says that, because he has sons, he likes living next to a football club.
However, the dad says he has experienced some problems with the site including parking, construction noise, and even a swarm of rats in his garden.
He said: “They are doing a lot of work on the place. At the beginning we had lots of rats coming into our garden because they were fleeing from the construction.
“The parking really is bad. There used to be more spaces on either side, but they have taken them away so now there is barely anything left for us.
“They were supposed to do a parking lot, but they didn’t so now everyone just comes here.
“There are always a lot of tickets being given out around here. There have been quite a few accidents along here because of it.
“There used to be a children’s playground here, but they got rid of it for the training ground. It is a shame.”
A Bromley council spokesperson said: “Two Planning Applications have been received at the Crystal Palace FC Academy on Copers Cope Road to provide floodlight columns and for a new basement and extended sports hall with further provision such as car parking.
“These applications were approved in the summer. There is a retrospective planning application which is still due for consideration, which is for plant equipment associated with the under-pitch heating and interested parties can still comment on this application should they wish.”
“The Council has received complaints about breaches of planning control at this site and has acted wherever possible to enforce against these.
“We are aware that there is currently work happening in the car park which may temporarily displace some vehicles albeit that there are already parking restrictions in local streets, with this also including recently installed additional double yellow lines and more parking controls planned.”
A Crystal Palace spokesperson said: “We communicate directly with Copers Cope Road residents through a WhatsApp group and respond promptly to any concerns as we take our responsibilities to be a good neighbour very seriously.
“We manage any traffic or parking issues pro-actively and can reassure residents that floodlights will only illuminate the pitches.
“We are proud of our role in the community, having invested more than £30 million in world-class Academy facilities for boys and girls, which also provide significant local community and charitable use through the Palace for Life Foundation.
“The final construction phase of the site is under way, and we believe our investment has improved the aesthetics and security of the site immeasurably, which was previously very run-down and used by multiple businesses with no security, no traffic management and poor upkeep.”
