Plans for a new clubhouse for Eltham Football Club have been thrown out because of the "harmful impact" development would have on the surrounding area.

Eltham Town Football Club and Skillcrown Homes had originally planned to demolish parts of the existing clubhouse and rebuild it, with 21 new homes planned to be built at the same time.

But members of Greenwich Council rejected the plans because it would have been an "inappropriate development in metropolitan open land."

Metropolitan open land is similar to green belt in that it needs exceptional circumstances to be developed on.

A petition in support of the plans was launched last year ahead of its submission, which Kevin Clark, land and and business director at Skillcrown, saying at the time: "This safeguard the future of Eltham Town FC. The public really understood this and were overwhelmingly supportive by prospects of the development.”

However, the council disagreed - and refused it on the grounds that: "The proposed residential development and new clubhouse by reason of its scale, form, design and layout would fail to successfully integrate into the surrounding area and would have a harmful impact on the character of the existing landscape and visual amenities associated with the Area of Special Character and South East London Green Chain.

"The harm is not outweighed by public benefits."

Eltham Town FC did have 70 supporters contact the council, compared to just 10 objections.

If the scheme got the go ahead, the club would have built a new clubhouse including changing room facilities, with a function room and a terrace on the first floor.

The proposal also includes the refurbishment of the existing playing fields and planned a new pitch for under 8s at the front of the new clubhouse.

Of the 21 homes proposed, 100% would have been "affordable housing."