Residents have slammed Merton Council after a letter inviting people to go to a long-awaited meeting which will decide whether AFC Wimbledon can build a new stadium failed to put the date and said it was due to be withdrawn.

Decision day is looming for AFC Wimbledon, which will hear whether the council gives the club the go-ahead at a meeting in the Civic Centre, London Road, Morden, on Thursday, December 10.

But a letter posted to thousands of people across the UK and possibly the world, invites them to attend but does not tell them the date.

There were two mistakes in the letter – the lack of date and the council’s recommendation. It stated the application had been recommended for withdrawal, when it has in fact been recommended to be approved, subject to section 106 conditions.

Many residents received it in the post today.

Diane McLean, of the We Want Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium group, said: “I am so cynical of the way the council has dealt with this; one would think it was done deliberately.

“Nothing surprises me anymore.”

There is expected to be a large number of people, both for and against the development, going to the council offices for the meeting, which will be broadcast live online by the council and the Wimbledon Guardian.

A resident who asked not to be identified said: “It is a lot of money to waste.

“How many bin men do they have to sack to pay for it?

“Everyone here thinks this shows how incompetent they are – it doesn’t fill you with trust for such a big decision.”

Wimbledon Times:

Another resident said: “I have concerns that it’s intentional.

“It’s an effective way to make sure people can’t rearrange their lives to go and object.

“It’s not like it’s a mistake. They’ve chosen not to put the information in.

“I’m so disappointed by the council and the way they have done it all. It makes me scared stiff about what else is going on. It’s very political and not necessarily done in our best interests. I thought the council had our best interests at heart and I didn’t realise they didn’t. It’s been an eye opener.”

The council issued an urgent update on its website this afternoon. It said: “A recent letter about this application should be disregarded as due to technical issues the letters contain errors, which are rectified below: The application is recommended for approval subject to a Section 106 Legal Agreement and conditions.”

A spokesman said another letter was due to be posted out today.

The meeting will take place at the Merton Civic Centre in London Road, Morden, from 7.15pm.

Follow the Wimbledon Guardian team on Twitter @wimbledonnews and on this website for live updates.