After careful consideration Barnet Residents Association committee has decided to support the planning application for a new stadium in Underhill for Barnet Football Club.
At the current location at The Hive the stadium includes a diagnostic centre and community leisure facilities. The Club also has a charity which runs sports outreach activities that involves local schools. The Club states that these facilities will be replicated at Underhill. Additionally, though perhaps of marginal benefit to the community the Club argues that the local economy will be boosted by the employment of 78 people as well as money being spent in the area by fans.
The Club also claims that because attendance at matches has fallen at The Hive compared to previously at Underhill they are currently losing some £1 million a year. This is unsustainable and they believe that if the current situation continues they are likely to fold within a few years. They argue that increased attendance and the potential to attract business sponsorship at Underhill (absent at the The Hive) will eliminate the deficit.
Alternative sites in the Borough have been researched and the Club claims none are suitable. Of necessity any new site would have to be a large brownfield (absent in Barnet) or green field location.
These arguments amount to a strong reason to support the new stadium but the key consideration that remains is the acceptability of building on Green Belt currently used as playing fields. For this to be allowed there would have to be ‘very exceptional circumstances’. We judge there is nothing intrinsically attractive about the proposed site. It already includes a fenced football training area and a Gaelic football pitch and a children’s playground (all of which would remain. The stadium would occupy about 50% of the site, almost all on land currently marked out as football pitches. Parking will be a major improvement on the provision for the old stadium. Part of the site would be landscaped with new trees, a pond, and measures to encourage bio-diversity. The stadium itself would be single storey on three sides and three storeys on the west side, which is furthest away from any residential properties. It would be partly dug into lowered ground to minimise the visual impact. A small number of properties on Grasvenor Avenue would however have their outlook impeded.
Though there would be some damage to the outlook of neighbouring properties and the loss of the amenity value of the green space to be built on, there should be sufficient green for the public to walk their dogs and use for other recreational purposes. On balance we have concluded that the Club returning to the area and the facilities they offer would be of considerable value to the wider community and would outweigh the negative aspects of the application. Adding the risk to the Club failing, plus likely absence of any alternative location, we consider the ‘very special circumstances’ test is satisfied.
The current application is outline only, but If approved we will be closely examining the subsequent full application to ensure that matters such as keeping the height as low as possible, the provision of community facilities and ensuring the landscaping and bio-diversity are all delivered as promised.
17 March 2025