I am delighted to announce our exciting plans to end our ten-year exile in Harrow and bring Barnet FC back to Barnet.
Our initial three-year tenure at The Hive was extended indefinitely by Harrow Council but I always felt that if it were possible, then Barnet FC should return to the home from where it took its identity.
During the long months of Covid, I busied myself with trying to find a way to bring the Club back home and met with Barnet Council to ask for their support in locating a suitable site on which I could build a new stadium. I undertook to fund the full cost of construction so that we could progress without any funding delays.
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. This new scheme is a redesigned slimmed down version of our original planning application at the South Underhill site and accounts for the existing layouts and usages in place with the new school and their needs at the forefront of the project.
Along with the smaller 6,000 – 8,000 capacity stadium, there are two Multi Use Games Areas, a circulation and recreational zone for pupils, a formal pitch for training and playing purposes on Barnet Playing Fields, and a school drop-off zone for pupils which will help alleviate the morning rush hour traffic problems in the area.
We have instructed WSP Planning Consultancy to commence the pre-application process. Sean McGrath from WSP will be heading the project and engaging directly with Barnet Council and their Planning Officers in the pre-planning process in order to finalise an application. We will be providing a progress update at the end of the month.
We hope that we will receive the full support of Barnet FC fans, local residents and the Council so that we can bring our incredible Club back to where it belongs.
AAK