- National League side Barnet have played at nearby Harrow since 2013
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National League team Barnet have unveiled plans for a new stadium that will allow them to play football again in their local community.
The Bees have played at nearby Harrow at The Hive since 2013 after rent disputes with the council forced them to leave Underhill Stadium, which had been their home for more than a century.
However, on Monday afternoon, Barnet chairman Anthony Kleanthous revealed they want to return Barnet with stadium designs for a new ground with a capacity of 8,000.
WSP Planning Consultancy has been instructed to start the pre-application process.
Kleanthous said in a statement on Monday that he hopes to return the club ‘where it belongs’.
Barnet have unveiled plans for a new 8,000 capacity stadium in their local town
The Bees unveiled designs on Monday afternoon and the club were keen to return home
Barnet chairman Anthony Kleanthous says it’s time for the club to get back to ‘where it belongs’
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“I am delighted to announce our exciting plans to end our ten-year exile in Harrow and bring Barnet FC back to Barnet,” he wrote.
‘Our first three-year term at The Hive was extended indefinitely by Harrow Council, but I have always felt that if it was possible, Barnet FC should return to the home from which it derived its identity.
‘During the long months of Covid I busied myself with finding a way to bring the Club back home and met with Barnet Council to ask for their support in finding a suitable site on which to build a new stadium. I committed to financing the entire construction cost so that we could move forward without financing delays.
‘After months of searching it became clear that the best site was the one we had originally identified in South Underhill and we therefore asked our architect to reconsider these proposals. This new plan is a redesigned, slimmed down version of our original planning application on the South Underhill site and takes into account the existing layouts and uses, keeping the new school and their needs at the forefront of the project.
‘Along with the smaller stadium with a capacity of 6,000 to 8,000, there are two multi-use playing areas, a circulation and recreation zone for pupils, a formal pitch for training and playing purposes at Barnet Playing Fields, and a school dismissal zone for pupils which will alleviate traffic problems in help alleviate the morning rush hour in the area.
‘We have commissioned WSP Planning Consultancy to start the pre-application process. Sean McGrath from WSP will lead the project and work directly with Barnet Council and their Planning Officers in the pre-planning process to finalize an application. We will provide a progress update at the end of this month.
The National League side currently plays in nearby Harrow at The Hive since 2013
“We hope we will have the full support of Barnet FC fans, local residents and the council so we can return our incredible club to where it belongs.”
If permission is granted, Kleanthous hopes it will herald a new era for the north London side, who currently sit third in the National League and have a strong chance of promotion to League Two this season.