Barnet F.C. new ‘hive’ move shot down, almost!

Article posted by Coliseum, February 29^th, 2024

Image: Barnet FC

The National League team Barnet F.C.’s Chairman, Anthony Kleanthous, announced recently his plans to move ‘The Bees’ from their current home at The Hive in Canons Park, Edgware, back to South Underhill in Barnet, UK.

‘TIMES Series’ stated that however, the Barnet Council has voiced concerns about the proposed location for a new stadium as the site is on a greenbelt land.

The Barnet Football Club is a professional association football club based in London Borough of Harrow, North West London (UK). The team compete in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system. The club was founded in Chipping Barnet in 1888.

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The 6,500-capacity Hive London is a football center in Edgware, London (UK), offering football pitches for hire, conference and banqueting facilities, an onsite gym, cafe, bar, and more. It was built on the former site of the Prince Edward Playing Fields in the London Borough of Harrow.

‘TIMES Series’ further stated that in a statement, a spokesperson said, “We’re working to put Barnet on the capital’s sporting map and are home to the Saracens rugby club and The 108, Europe’s first indoor baseball park. While it would be good to welcome the Barnet F.C. back to their home borough, the club has to be realistic about the planning challenges for situating a stadium.”

Europe’s first indoor venue for baseball and softball opened at the Brent Cross Town. The 108, a pioneering indoor baseball and softball destination, has opened in Brent Cross Town, the £8bn net zero park town for London.

In his announcement, Kleanthous explained that during the pandemic he had “busied” himself with finding a suitable site for a new stadium in Barnet.

Commented Kleanthous, “I am delighted to announce our exciting plans to end our 10-year exile in Harrow and bring Barnet F.C. back to Barnet. After months of searching, it became clear that the best site was the one we originally identified at South Underhill and so we asked our architect to revisit these proposals.”

He added that the proposed new stadium could hold between 6,000 and 8,000 spectators.

But the Barnet Council said that the proposed Underhill stadium is “highly unlikely” to be acceptable due to its greenbelt location.

A spokesperson said, “Justifying any development in the greenbelt would require a ‘very special circumstances’ case to be made, which demonstrates that the benefits of the development outweigh the detriment, and it is very hard to see how this case could be achieved.”

The Council also raised concerns over the added pressure a new stadium would put on the nearby roads.

The spokesperson added, “To date, we have been unable to move forward as the Barnet F.C. are yet to propose an acceptable site. In our effort to find them a home in Barnet several sites have been looked at but were considered to be unsuitable. However, our doors are always open to examine other options.”

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