Tottenham Hotspur has been given the go-ahead to build a new training ground despite campaigners arguing it would destroy a park.
The football club plans to fence off a section of Whitewebbs Park in Enfield, north London, and build a new women’s academy, with 11 pitches and a new clubhouse.
There were 296 objections sent to Enfield Council, with many comments about the loss of green space and the impact on wildlife in the area. Objectors to the plans included The Woodland Trust.
Enfield Council decided to grant a 25-year lease to the football club, and said the development would include “improving the surrounding parkland landscape”.
Concerns about the scheme had included the blocking of views, limiting access to public spaces and not preserving ancient parkland and wildlife.
Campaign group Friends of Whitewebbs Park said the character of the park – which was bought for the benefit of the people of Enfield by Middlesex Council in 1931 – would be permanently altered, and it “would be irreversible”.
The group’s chairperson, Sean Wilkinson, described the “supposed benefits” to the community as “minimal”.
Enfield Council’s Labour leader, Ergin Erbil, said the project would “bring exciting opportunities to Enfield, including job opportunities, apprenticeships, and enhanced sports facilities”.
“We look forward to the next steps, to ensure the project achieves long-term benefits for everyone in Enfield,” he said.
A spokesperson for Tottenham Hotspur said the club was “delighted” by the approval.
The Premier League club promised the development would “improve local access to nature and habitats, provide new facilities for visitors, community groups, and sports clubs, and put Enfield on the map as a champion of the women’s and girls’ game with a best-in-class academy”.
