London mayor Boris Johnson thinks it is imperative that Spurs stay at their North London home in the light of the recent riots. The Greater London Authority and Haringey Council have put together a £17m package that would relieve Spurs of the requirement to make the community infrastructure payments that planners normally require. Under the proposal improvements would be made to links t
London mayor Boris Johnson thinks it is imperative that Spurs stay at their North London home in the light of the recent riots. The Greater London Authority and Haringey Council have put together a £17m package that would relieve Spurs of the requirement to make the community infrastructure payments that planners normally require. Under the proposal improvements would be made to links to Tottenham Hale and White Hart Lane stations, transport to and from the ground having been a long running bugbear for the club.
However, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy issued a statement saying there was a long way to go before the club would commit itself to the project He said: ‘It would be wholly irresponsible of us to announce we were proceeding with the scheme without the appropriate agreements and support firmly in place. Discussions are continuing with all the relevant stakeholders and we shall, as always, keep our supporters updated.”
Levy is worried the riots in Tottenham will make the planned regeneration of the area, one of the most deprived in the capital, less appealing. He added: ‘We are the major employer and economic driver in the area and are now the only major private sector business here that is looking to invest and play its part in the regeneration of an area which has suffered from decades of under-investment.’
‘The proposed stadium scheme and wider area development has the potential to lever hundreds of millions of pounds worth of much-needed regenerative development to Tottenham.’
‘But we cannot be expected to do this single-handedly. We have seen land values fall again post the recent riots and this is a further concern for the club as it considers the nature of the investment. The overall scheme requires a complex package of financing of which the correct level and nature of public support is critical.’
Spurs have not given up on the possibility of a move to the Olympic Stadium.