February 20 – A private family business standing in the way of Tottenham Hotspur’s plans to build a new £400 million state-of-the-art stadium has lost its court challenge against a compulsory purchase order to force it out.
The English Premier League club has been striving for months to get the green light to proceed with a new 56,000-capacity ground adjacent to the site of its current stadium which holds only 36,000 fans.
Although most obstacles have been overcome, the firm involved had refused to budge, arguing that Tottenham’s tactics to buy them out were “unlawful and invalid” despite the compulsory purchase order being confirmed by the relevant government department last July.
At the High Court in London Mr Justice Dove ruled against the firm’s appeal saying there was “no legal flaw” in the decision-making process.
If the company had won, it could have thrown Tottenham’s plans into disarray and potentially force them to ground share as they sought an alternative site in an attempt to become one of the country’s most successful sides and regularly challenge for a Champions League place.
Instead, unless there is a successful appeal against the ruling, it is believed the way is now clear for Tottenham to go ahead and build what they describe as a “world class” venue ready in time for the 2018-19 season.
Members of the family business that produces metal items for the catering and hospitality industry were in court to hear the judge’s ruling. In November a mystery fire gutted the premises, located yards from Tottenham’s ground.
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