Key facts
- A high court judge has quashed Enfield council's decision to grant planning permission for Tottenham Hotspur's new training facility.
- The proposed facility was for a women and girls' football academy on 6.5 hectares of land in Whitewebbs Park.
- Campaigners argued that councillors were not provided with all relevant environmental impact information and were "materially misled".
- The judge found the result "could well have been different" had all information been available.
- Claims of bias were dismissed as "weak".
- Enfield council stated it would protect the park and prioritize community needs.
A high court judge has overturned a council's decision to allow Tottenham Hotspur to build a new training facility in a north London park. The campaign group Guardians of Whitewebbs successfully argued that Enfield council breached rules by not providing councillors with all relevant information regarding the development's environmental impact, leading them to be "materially misled".
Lawyers for the group also claimed a "real possibility of bias" due to the club's alleged "unparalleled access" to senior council figures. While Enfield council withdrew its defence to the claim, Tottenham Hotspur continued to oppose the challenge. The club argued that the outcome would have been the same even with full information and that bias allegations were "completely overblown".
In his ruling, Sir Tim Kerr found that the council's non-compliance was "serious" and that councillors were "materially misled" by the exclusion of an ecologist's report. He dismissed the bias claims as "weak". The ruling means the club's plans for 10 football pitches and other facilities on 6.5 hectares of Whitewebbs Park have been blocked.
Alessandro Georgiou, leader of Enfield council, expressed delight with the decision, stating the authority would protect Whitewebbs Park and proceed with plans that serve the local community and preserve the area.