By Mark Baber
December 18 – Tottenham Hotspur have had their plans for a new £400 million stadium approved by Haringey Council paving the way, subject to the Mayor Boris Johnson’s permission, for work to begin on a modern 61,000 seater stadium in spring 2016.
On majority verdicts, the council’s Planning Committee gave the go ahead to three applications which will see the current 36,240 seater stadium replaced with a larger stadium with a wider range of facilities than in previous proposals approved by the council in 2011, and which will also include 600 new homes, a 180-bed hotel and extreme sports centre, alongside a community health centre and public square for local events.
The stadium will feature a retractable pitch which will enable the club to meet its obligations under a ten-year agreement with the NFL to host at least two games a year from 2018.
Haringey Council Leader Claire Kober commented on the approvals saying: “We’re delighted to see these exciting plans approved which will support our long-term regeneration plans and write a new chapter in Spurs’ long and successful history in our borough.
“These proposals are about more than just a new stadium – they bring much-needed new jobs and a boost to the economy, with thousands more fans spending money in local businesses.
“Having Premier League football and NFL games being broadcast around the world from Haringey will help put our borough on the international stage and attract further investment in Tottenham.”
Spurs announced the deal in a tweet, saying “Stadium Update: We can announce that Haringey Council’s planning sub committee has approved the club’s new stadium proposals”.
The club are hoping to move into their new home for the 2018-19 season, with the club intending to play away from their home ground for the 2017-18 season.
When it is completed, Spurs will have the biggest club stadium in London.
Analysis by the Trinity Mirror Data Unit which has looked at all the stadiums built in the post-Taylor Report era and adjusted their build costs for inflation finds that the most expensive ground built to date belongs to Spurs’ local rivals, Arsenal, which cost £390 million in 2004 which equates to £534.8 million in today’s money.
The next most expensive club stadiums have been Manchester City’s Etihad at £234.38 million and Brighton’s Amex at £101 million (current prices). Chelsea’s new Stamford Bridge ground is set to cost the club £500 million. The most expensive stadium in England, however, remains Wembley which, adjusted for inflation, cost a whoppingly mismanaged £989 million.
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