Northumberland Development Project

Northumberland Development Project

Artist's impression of the Northumberland Development Project
Full name Northumberland Development Project
Location London, England
Coordinates 51°36′17.1″N 0°03′59.1″W / 51.604750°N 0.066417°W / 51.604750; -0.066417
Owner Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Operator Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Capacity 61,000[1]
Surface Grass (Association football games)
Artificial turf (American football games)
Construction
Broke ground 2014
Opened 2018 (planned)
Construction cost Estimated at around £400 million
Architect Populous
Project manager Ken Shuttleworth
Structural engineer Buro Happold
General contractor McLaren Construction
Tenants
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (2018–future, planned)
NFL International Series (2018-future) (NFL)

The Northumberland Development Project is a project to build a football stadium which will replace White Hart Lane as the home stadium of Tottenham Hotspur.[2] The stadium originally had a planned capacity for 56,250 spectators,[3] which later increased to 61,000.[1] The development plans have been revised several times and currently comprise a combination of 579 new homes, 180 room hotel, local community health centre, "Tottenham Experience" – a Spurs museum and club shop, extreme sports facility and the already complete Lilywhite House, which contains a supermarket, university technical college and new club administration buildings.[4]

Following periods of consultation with the local community,[5] and several rounds of negotiations with Haringey Council and the Mayor of London, planning permissions for the project were issued in September 2011.[6] A compulsory purchase order issued in July 2014 giving approval for the new stadium scheme to proceed[7] was subject to an unsuccessful legal challenge in February 2015.[8] During the long CPO delays, the current new designs were developed and the new planning application was approved for them by Haringey Council on 17 December 2015.[9] The anticipated stadium opening date has been revised several times and is currently scheduled for the 2018–19 season.[10]

The new stadium will also serve as a venue for at least two NFL International Series games a season.[11]

Background

The club stated in 2007 that it was considering options for increasing stadium capacity involving redevelopment of the current site or a move to a new site. It advised in the 2007/8 Interim Financial Statement that the preferred option would be announced in the first half of 2008, but later delayed this decision until the autumn of 2008.[12]

The club had also considered a move to a new site. One possibility for the club was to use the Olympic Stadium after the London 2012 Olympics. As this would have involved a move out of the Tottenham area and because the stadium was required to retain a running track the club advised the plan was dropped.[13]

Design agency

In November 2007 Tony Winterbottom, formerly of the London Development Agency, who had worked on development of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, was reported as leading the development of the options for the new stadium.[14] In April 2008 it was revealed in the press that investigations were taking place into the possible use of the adjacent Wingate industrial estate. If planning permission and the agreement of the current businesses there was granted, a 55–60,000-seat stadium could be constructed on the current White Hart Lane site.[15]

In December 2008, the design for the new stadium, by KSS Design Group and Buro Happold was revealed.[16] A new design team was announced in July 2015 alongside revised stadium plans. Populous in respect of the stadium design, the hotel and the visitor attractions; Allies and Morrison for the new homes; and Donald Insall Associates as heritage architect.[17]

Projected opening dates

The projected completion date has been put back on several occasions. In 2009, the Spurs' chairman Daniel Levy stated that Spurs intend to move into the partially built new stadium for the start of the 2012–13 season, with the final 56,250-seat venue ready for the following campaign.[18]

Subsequent delays in 2013 relating to compulsory purchase put the completion date back to first to 2016[19] and in April 2014, it was revised to Summer 2017.[20] Following the 2015 High Court case the opening date was revised to 2018/19 season.[10]

Temporary stadium options

Tottenham Hotspur has indicated that to mitigate delays that have occurred in the planning process it would seek to accelerate the construction of the new stadium by relocating on a temporary basis to an alternative stadium venue. Several stadia have been mooted for ground-sharing, including; Wembley Stadium and Stadium mk the Milton Keynes Dons' ground. Other locations include the Boleyn Ground once West Ham United have relocated to the Olympic Stadium, the Rugby Football Union's Twickenham Stadium, and even a ground-share with West Ham at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.[10]

Development project plans

The Northumberland Development Project covers an area of around 20 acres (81,000 m2), bordered by Park Lane to the South, Worcester Avenue to the East, Northumberland Park to the North and the High Road to the West. Initial plans were that the new stadium would be built alongside the existing White Hart Lane[21]

Tottenham Hotspur had originally planned to move into the new stadium, whilst it is partially built, for the beginning of the 2012–13 season, and the stadium would be completed by the end of the following season.[4] However, delays due to the compulsory purchase order, need to submit revised plans and seek funding have delayed the project. September 2012 saw the start of the project with work on the site where a Sainsburys supermarket is now located, as part of Phase 1, the construction of Lilywhite House. The estimated completion date of the whole project was then anticipated as 2016.[19]

Spurs have not released the projected cost of the stadium, although it is estimated the original plans were around £400 million.[3][22] Instead of maintaining the White Hart Lane name, the club plans to pursue corporate sponsorship of the stadium,[2] with Spurs eyeing potential suitors in the UAE.[23]

The project overal design announced in July 2015 comprises:

The club, which is a founding participant of the 10:10 environmental campaign has summarised the energy saving measures and other environmentally friendly elements of the project which it claims will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 40% compared to current Building Regulation requirements and make it one of the most environmentally sustainable stadiums in the United Kingdom.

Project funding

On 21 August 2009 Tottenham Hotspur made a Stock Exchange announcement that it was issuing 30 million new shares aimed at raising £15 million to fund the first stage of the proposed development. The funds specifically relate to the professional costs required to advance the project to the point where a full planning application can be submitted. The club's major shareholder, ENIC International Ltd subscribed to take up 27.8 million of the shares.[30] The club have also bid for an investment from the Regional Growth Fund (RGF). A decision is still awaited.[31]

On 22 July 2011, supporter group Supporting Our Future submitted a proposal for a £50 million funding initiative to Spurs to support the Northumberland Development Project[32] by way of a Community Share scheme. This proposal was presented after polling Spurs fans on their views of the club and Northumberland Park Development,[33] and extensive consultation with the club, Haringey Council, and Supporters Direct.

The club announced in April 2014 that it had divested some 'non-core' properties to the west of the High Road relating to phase 1 of the project to TH Property Limited, a subsidiary of ENIC, with the proceeds used to pay down debt secured against those properties.[20]

Planning permission

Planning applications

The club originally submitted a planning application for the stadium to Haringey Council in October 2009, with a view to starting construction in 2010. However, following criticism by English Heritage, and the Government’s advisory body on architecture, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, and other conservation groups about the proposed demolition of listed buildings, in May 2010 the club withdrew its planning application in favour of a revised plan, which retained the listed buildings, reduced the number of new-build residential houses and improved the public spaces.[34] On 30 September the Planning Committee of Haringey Council unanimously approved the revised planning application. Daniel Levy, Tottenham chairman said:-

Clearly we are delighted with this unanimous decision and are grateful to all those who expressed such clear support for the plans. I should stress that there is still much work to be done. We shall continue to work with Haringey Council and the application will now be considered by the Mayor of London and referred to the Secretary of State."[5]

The Mayor of London gave his approval to the plans to redevelop the stadium on 25 November 2010. The club confirmed, on 9 December 2010, that the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had written to confirm that she did not propose to call in the planning application and that English Heritage would not be seeking further consideration of the listed building consent application for the Northumberland Development Project, the club concluded the Section 106 agreement with Haringey Council and planning permission was granted on 20 September 2011.[35]

In December 2015, largely revised plans were approved by Haringey Council that would enable the higher capacity 61,000 seat stadium to be built as well as widening of the High Road pavement leading to the new stadium by demolishing three buildings (Edmonton Dispensary, The Red House, and the former White Hart Public House).[36]

Regeneration and infrastructure projects

Following the riots in the Tottenham area other parts of London and elsewhere in England in August 2011 the Greater London Authority and Haringey Council announced on 28 September that it would relieve the club of all community infrastructure payments that planners would normally require, estimated at £8.5m, and to provide a further £8.5m for regeneration and infrastructure projects.[37] As part of the agreement an additional £9m was also committed by the London Borough of Haringey to improve services for residents in the area.[38]

Reports that the development would not be pursued resulted in concessions by Haringey Council on the section 106 planning obligations for the development. The initial demand of 50% affordable housing was abandoned while Spurs increased the number of dwellings to be created as part of the development from 200 to 285 market-rates homes. The initial Section 106 agreement for £16.436m investment in community infrastructure was reduced to £0.477m.[39] This is a controversial outcome, given the high levels of deprivation in Tottenham and the high levels of demand for social housing.

Compulsory purchase order proceedings

In April 2013 a Public Inquiry was held about the last remaining property to be acquired. Following this, the Planning Inspector recommended refusal of Haringey's application for a Compulsory Purchase Order in his report dated 24 September 2013, because he thought it was unacceptable that the London Borough of Haringey had waived the affordable housing requirement in the original S.106 Agreement.[40]

On 11 July 2014, a much delayed decision by Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government agreed with a compulsory purchase order made by the London Borough of Haringey enabling the project to proceed.[7] Tottenham Hotspur issued a statement reporting it had ensured that the plans for the new stadium had been "optimised and future-proofed" during the long process of granting the compulsory purchase order.[41]

In September 2014, the remaining business with two plots on the development site, Archway Sheet Metal Works, initiated a legal challenge in the High Court that the compulsory purchase order was unlawful and invalid.[42]

On 20 February 2015, the High Court judge ruled that the compulsory purchase order was legal and valid. He also refused permission to appeal though it could be referred directly to the Court of Appeal,[8] which on 13 March 2015 Archway Steel confirmed to the Club it would not be pursuing.[43] On 31 March 2015, in a joint statement the Club and Archway Sheet Metal Works announced that agreement had been concluded on the sale of the remaining plots on the Paxton Road required for the development to proceed.[44]

Olympic Stadium Plans

Artist's impression of the proposed new stadium at the Olympic Stadium site

On 1 October 2010 Daniel Levy confirmed in a press statement issued following planning approval of the Northumberland Development plan the previous day that the club had also registered an interest in the Olympic Stadium site in conjunction with AEG (Europe) as the deadline for declaring interest was on 30 September 2010. The Chairman explained that:-

It is only prudent and good management that we ensure that we investigate all possible options for the club. We were informed by the Olympic Park Legacy Company that were we not to register an interest at this time, there would not be an opportunity at any future date.[5]

On 12 November 2010 the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) announced that together with West Ham United, the Tottenham Hotspur/AEG consortium were the preferred bidders to take over the Olympic stadium after the 2012 Olympics. The OPLC advised that negotiations would proceed with both bidders and the winning bid would be confirmed in March 2011.[45] On 13 January 2011, David Lammy, the Member of Parliament for Tottenham threatened to take legal action against the use of name 'Tottenham' if the club went ahead with a move out of Tottenham.[46]

The OPLC announced on 11 February 2011, that West Ham had been selected as the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium, subject to the decision being ratified by Government departments and the Mayor of London. In a statement Tottenham Hotspur advised that as the deal was not yet concluded the club would continue to "monitor the situation".[47] Spurs then applied for a judicial review to overturn the OPLC's decision, however this appeal was rejected in June 2011[48]

The Olympic Legacy Company announced on 5 July 2011 that an independent review into the awarding of the Olympic Park Stadium to West Ham F.C. was to be carried out on its behalf by auditors Moore Stephens. This was a consequence of the discovery on 30 June 2011 that an employee of the Legacy Company, Dionne Knight, had been engaged by West Ham to carry out consultancy work relating to the Olympic Stadium without permission of the OPLC. The OPLC announced that Ms Knight had been suspended whilst a possible conflict of interest was investigated.

It also became known that Ms Knight had already declared to the OPLC that she was in a personal relationship with a director of the football club. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur announced it was seeking another judicial review of the decision to award the stadium to West Ham after the Olympics.[49]

On 24 August 2011, Tottenham and Leyton Orient won a review of the decision, being told that they had an arguable case.[50] The review was due to take place on 18 October 2011. However, on 11 October 2011 the deal to sell the stadium to West Ham collapsed.[51] On 17 October 2011 it was announced by the government that Tottenham Hotspur (and Leyton Orient F.C.) had withdrawn legal action seeking a judicial review into the handing of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham.[52]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Northumberland Development Project updated designs and plans". tottenhamhotspur.com. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Tottenham reveal new ground plan". BBC Sport. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  3. 1 2 Sheringham, Sam (26 October 2009). "Spurs aim for new stadium by 2012". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  4. 1 2 ollege_and_more_flats_1_1187677 new plans for stadium site Tottenahm and Wood Green Journal 25 January 2012, Retrieved 29 May 2013
  5. 1 2 3 Stadium Plans "THFC Official website Accessed 2 October 2010
  6. "Tottenham sign planning agreement to build new stadium". BBC. 20 September 2011.
  7. 1 2 "New Tottenham Hotspur stadium scheme gets the green light". Department for Communities and Local Government. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  8. 1 2 plans for new stadium given massive boost as business looking to block move loses High Court appeal. Daily Telegraph 20 February 2015, Accessed 20 February 2015
  9. "STADIUM UPDATE". tottenhamhotspur.com. 17 December 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 Tottenham Hotspur stadium dispute firm in court challenge BBC News online 15 January 2015, Accessed 20 February 2015
  11. "Tottenham Hotspur will host NFL matches at new stadium". BBC Sport. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  12. "Stadium Update". Tottenhamhotspur.com. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
  13. "Spurs rule out 2012 stadium move". BBC Sport. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  14. Mihir Bose (5 November 2007). "Tottenham plan stadium expansion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2008.
  15. Spurs consider White Hart Lane exit for 55,000-seat stadium The Guardian, 9 April 2008.
  16. "Spurs reveal images of new ground". BBC Sport. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Project Update THFC Website, Accessed 12 July 2015
  18. Spurs aim for new stadium by 2012
  19. 1 2 Work Begins on Stadium Plans Haringey Independent, Retrieved 28 May 2013
  20. 1 2 Tottenham release financial results and give new stadium update fcbusiness 2 April 2014, Accessed 20 February 2015
  21. "Spurs reveal images of new ground". BBC Sport. 15 December 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  22. Isaacs, Marc (14 November 2008). "Tottenham Hotspur release plans for new stadium as Harry Redknapp praised". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  23. "Tottenham Hotspur Seek UAE Sponsorship". Khaleej Times. 12 June 2009.
  24. Northumberland Development Project Update – Basement Application THFC website published 23 June 2015, Accessed 26 june 2015
  25. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR AND SAINSBURY'S ANNOUNCE NEW STORE AS PART OF NEW STADIUM SCHEME THFC website. Retrieved 29 February 2011
  26. 1 2 http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/club-announcement-160215/
  27. E-ACT free school to open in Tottenham Hotspur stadium housing development The Independent. Retrieved 24 May 2012
  28. plans for University Sports College Haringey Independent 4 April 1913, Retrieved 28 May 2013
  29. Out-Law news Tottenham Hotspur FC reach agreement for university college development, Retrieved 18 September 2013
  30. "Stock Exchange Announcement – Placing of new shares to raise £15 million". Tottenham Hotspur. 9 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  31. "Northumberland Development Project – Club submits bid to Regional Growth Fund (RGF)". Northumberland Development Project – Club submits bid to Regional Growth Fund (RGF). Tottenham Hotspur FC.
  32. Supporting Our Future – News – Supporting Our Future Community Share Proposal to Tottenham Hotspur FC and Haringey Borough Council
  33. Supporting Our Future – News – Fan Referendum 2011, Results Now Online!
  34. Tottenham’s plans to redevelop White Hart Lane shown red card Times online. Retrieved 22 May 2010
  35. Northumberland Development Project Update – News Articles – Tottenhamhotspur.com. Retrieved 20 September 2011
  36. Tottenham's revised stadium plans approved by Haringey Council BBC News. Retrieved 17 December 2015
  37. "Club reveal next stage plans for Northumberland Development Tottenham stadium: Club offered White Hart Lane deal". BBC. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  38. Spurs staying in Tottenham is "excellent news" Enfield Independent. Retrieved 24 May 2012
  39. "Spurs given green light to drop affordable homes". insidehousing.co.uk. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 14 Aug 2014.
  40. DCLG letter dated 11 July 2014, followed by report of David Nicholson, original inspector for local inquiry, whose recommendations were rejected by Eric Pickles
  41. "NORTHUMBERLAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT – CPO CONFIRMED". Tottenham Hotspur. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  42. Tottenham stadium delay means club face season away from home BBC Sport website 10 December 2014, Accessed 20 February 2015
  43. Northumberland Development Project Update THFC News website 13 March 2015, Accessed 15 March 2015
  44. Joint Statement THFC website published 31 March 2015, Accessed 31 March 2015
  45. "Tottenham and West Ham lead London 2012 stadium bid" BBC News online, Accessed 12 November 2010
  46. Leave Tottenham and you become Stratford Hotspur, local MP tells club, Accessed 13 January 2011
  47. West Ham chosen as preferred Olympic Stadium tenant BBC Sport online Retrieved 12 February 2011
  48. Kirk, Tristan. "Spurs judicial review bid over Olympic Stadium rejected by judge". Spurs judicial review bid over Olympic Stadium rejected by judge. Haringey Independent. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  49. London 2012: OPLC reviews Olympic Stadium bid process "BBC News online". Retrieved 16 July 2011
  50. "Spurs win right to challenge 2012 stadium decision". BBC News. 24 August 2011.
  51. "2012 Stadium Bid Collapsed". soccernet. 11 October 2011.
  52. "Tottenham Hotspur ends 2012 Olympic Stadium legal bid". BBC News. 18 October 2011.

External links

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