Battle over new Spurs ground (From Haringey Independent)

Battle over new Spurs ground

8:30am Friday 6th February 2009 in

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PLANS for a new Spurs stadium have come under fire from Heritage groups.

Fifteen historic buildings would have to be pulled down if the club’s 20-acre, 60,000 seater Northumberland Development Project in White Hart Lane goes ahead.

English Heritage, the Victorian Society and SAVE British Heritage all fear the plan would unnecessarily demolish some irreplaceable buildings.

Two buildings are Grade II listed and the others are in a conservation area.

Heloise Brown, conservation adviser for the Victorian Society, said: “London's historic buildings are a limited resource which we cannot afford to waste.

“To sweep away an entire section of the existing buildings along Tottenham High Road would remove an interesting and attractive part of the borough’s history.”

According to the club, the loss of the buildings is “extremely regrettable” but needed to redevelop the stadium within technical constraints and to secure “significant regeneration benefits” to Tottenham.

Stadium project director, Paul Phillips, said: “The loss of these buildings will also enable the retention and improvement of the terrace of buildings south of the junction of High Road and Northumberland Park, which contains several Grade II listed buildings.”

Under national planning guidelines applications to demolish buildings in conservation areas can only be approved if they preserve and enhance the area’s character.

Mr Phillips said the design team was fully aware of this.

Meanwhile local Greens are urging the club to add solar panels to the roof of its new home.

Tottenham and Wood Green Friends of the Earth say this will save energy and make the stadium one of the UK’s leading green buildings. The group has carried out research showing that the stadium could use photovoltaic panels to save 355 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

It could be the biggest solar panel installation in the UK.

Haringey Friends of the Earth member Yvonne Spyrou said: “Spurs should welcome this idea. This would show the stadium to be truly fit for the 21st century, making it something we can all be proud of.”

Mr Phillips said renewable alternatives were on the agenda.

“We are still at an early stage in the process having not even submitted a planning application, but we are already exploring a number of options on sustainability and waste,” he said.