London Mayor Ken Livingstone has approved Arsenal FC’s £400m stadium and mixed-use scheme.
The plans include 2,459 homes and more than 300,000 sq ft (27,900 sq m) of offices and retail, alongside a £250m 60,000-seat stadium at Ashburton Grove. The existing stadium at Highbury will be redeveloped as luxury flats.
Livingstone has been consistently supportive of the plans, but it was thought that the decision was also influenced by Arsenal’s pledge to increase its contribution for local transport improvement from £5.75m to more than £7.5m.
The club, which has already spent around £10m developing its plans, won planning consent in December from Islington council. However, the scheme could still be called in by Stephen Byers if objectors can prove that such a move would be in the public interest.
Anthony Green & Spencer is advising Arsenal.
EGi News 09/01/02
