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www.ClubsInCrisis.com 08 April 2009 - 20:49

Barnet

Barnet stadium plans hit by delay

09-Oct-2007

Barnet's plans to upgrade their Underhill ground have been hit by the local council deferring on a decision to give the club planning permission.

From BBC Sport:

The club had proposed two new stands, new floodlights and improved facilities for disabled supporters in order to comply with Football League rules.

But the council say "material" changes need to be made to the plans before they are re-submitted.

Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous said: "I am devastated by this no-decision."

Unless special dispensation is given, Paul Fairclough's side may now be forced to groundshare with another club before the end of the season.

They could also be thrown out of the Football League altogether.

The club submitted the application after consultation with the planners in order to bring Barnet up to the minimum standard required by a League Two club.

Nevertheless even before the decision, planning officials had recommended it for refusal, stating that the proposed north stand would be 'overbearing', 'visually obtrusive' and cause excessive levels of noise and disturbance.

Kleanthous added: "The deferment effectively puts us back to the beginning again with more expense.

"Getting this far has already cost us £30,000 and put us on a tightrope as far as meeting the deadline is concerned, with a new application taking at least two to three months.

"Our application was for the minimum requirement to meet the League criteria. If this cannot be achieved we must think of relocation.

"At every stage over the years we have been asked to compromise. In 13 years all the council have given us is a car park."

Barnet were first promoted to the Football League in 1991, only to be relegated back to the Conference in 2001, but they returned to the League as Conference champions in 2005.

See also: Planning Application Deferred


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Underhill only suitable till 2004

02-Oct-2002

The Conference are due to adopt the same criteria for rounds as the league in 2004. When this happens Underhill- will not meet the required standards.
As a result Barnet cannot get back into the league with Underhill and face relegation to the Ryman League.
Attempts to build a new stadium at Copthall were rejected and since then efforts have focused on building on land to the south of the Underhill.
Unfortunately this is in Green Belt land which means that planning permission is very difficult to obtain. Barnet secured the backing of the local council and of the Mayor of London but since have then been harmed by two separate developments. Firstly the Conservatives won the election on a strong campaign against the stadium- and have been extremely uncooperative. Some of the councillors are openly
hostile to the club, and are rumoured to be behind getting the Keep Barnet Alive action group banned from a local carnival.
Secondly, the stadium has been 'called in' for a public inquiry
costing the club valuable time, and around £500,000 in fees.
Moreover the whole project could be scuppered, leaving the club with nowhere to go. Sandwiched by Green Belt land and unaffordable expensive urban land the club is in dire need of help. The current stadium is in greenbelt so has limited resale value.

=================== Previously ===================


Barnet have reached agreement with Orient to share Brisbane Road if they win promotion from the Nationwide Football Conference. The Football League and the Nationwide Conference have agreed in principle to Barnet groundsharing while they try to find a new stadium. Chairman Tony Kleanthous is hoping for ratification of the agreement with Leyton Orient before the start of the season.

The move follows the falling through of the attempted move to the Copthall stadium earlier this year and the failure of the Underhill ground to meet the football league requirements of 6000 minimum capacity and pitch gradiant.

Chairman Kleanthous is quoted on the Barnet FC Website saying: 'We have had to act swiftly as it would have been unfair to go into a season knowing we had no chance of promotion. We would like to thank Barry Hearn and the board of Leyton Orient for providing us with this alternative which should satisfy the requirements of both the Football League and the Nationwide Football Conference'.

Barnet plan a referendum among supporters in September, letting them decide on a new stadium site when all the option are available for consideration.


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