Stephen Byers has decided not to call in Arsenal FC’s plans for a 60,000-seat stadium at Ashburton Grove.
Islington council is now expected to grant planning permission for the development proposals, which comprise the Ashburton Grove stadium, housing on the former stadium site in Highbury, and the relocation of local businesses to a Lough Road site. In addition to the £250m 60,000-seat stadium, the proposals will provide 2,459 homes and more than 300,000 sq ft (27,900 sq m) of offices and retail.
In a letter to Islington borough council’s planner Graham Harrington, Byers said: “My general approach is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it is necessary to do so.
“After careful consideration of all the matters about the applications and having regard to my policy on call-in, I have reached the conclusion that there is not sufficient conflict in this case with national planning policies or any other sufficient reason to warrant calling in the applications.”
Islington council resolved to allow Arsenals proposals on 10 December 2001. As a departure from Islingtons Unitary Development Plan, the applications were then formally referred to the Secretary of State to decide on whether to call in the scheme for a public inquiry.
However, the process was then held up by Byers, who issued a holding direction preventing Islington council from granting planning permission without authorisation, on 16 January. Supporters of the Arsenal proposals, including Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, warned Byers not to “put London in jeopardy” by calling in the scheme.
EGi News 20/02/02
