Response to article in The Guardian newspaper

January 2011

Dear Editor,

John Crace’s report on Tottenham Hotspur’s plans for the Olympic Stadium (You cannot be serious? G2 p.12, 27 January 2011) contains some inaccuracies.

His assertion that Haringey Council believed “it had the club over a barrel” and “sought to exact ever greater financial commitments” is way off the mark.

Section 106 planning agreements are standard procedure in all large scale planning applications and set out a contribution from the developers to offset the impact of their plans on local infrastructure.

In the case of Spurs’ Northumberland Development Project, the S106 is worth around £15-16million – less than 3.5 per cent of what Spurs say the development will cost and certainly not the reason for Stratford being the “cheaper” option.

If Spurs were to develop the Olympic site, they would have to make a similar S106 agreement with Newham Council.

Perhaps as a Spurs supporter, Mr Crace should question how the club concludes (or is it just Mr Crace making this assertion?) that the land it still needs in Tottenham – around 15 per cent of the total site – will cost £200million in compulsory purchases. Assuming the figure is correct, I’m sure Spurs would have done their sums before coming to planning committee with their proposals.

Contrary to Mr Crace’s claim that the suggested Stratford move was a “shot across the bows” of the council, Spurs’ interest in the Olympic site had no bearing on the planning process.

Indeed, Spurs only announced their bid for the Olympic site after their plans for Northumberland Park won unanimous backing from Haringey’s planning committee last September.

Haringey Council was enthusiastic and supportive of Spurs throughout the planning process, which took around two years – a short time-span for an application of such magnitude, and about half the time taken for planning consent to be secured for Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Furthermore, Haringey Council supported Spurs in their submissions to English Heritage and Transport for London and has granted in principle agreement for compulsory purchase orders to enable the club to acquire what remaining land it needs.

The council has never been asked by THFC to make a financial contribution to its plans.

The council has always been committed to keeping Spurs in Tottenham and the club has been embedded in our long-term plans for the borough since the early 1990s. That commitment remains and we remain hopeful that Spurs will stay in Tottenham.

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Claire Kober
Leader of Haringey Council
London Borough of Haringey
Local Democracy and Member Services
5th Floor, River Park House
225 High Road
London N22 8HQ