In November 1999, AFC announced their intention to assess the feasibility of building a new 60,000 seater stadium on a 25 acre site in nearby Ashburton Grove (approximately half a mile from Highbury Stadium).

The following are some of the latest official statements from AFC on the proposal, plus their published FAQ's on the subject:

First of all, for those who have not yet seen it, here's the original official statement from AFC:

17/11/99

ASHBURTON GROVE NEW STADIUM FEASIBILITY STUDY ANNOUNCED

Arsenal FC has today announced that the Club is to explore the feasibility of building a new 60,000 seater stadium on a 25 acre regeneration site in the Ashburton Grove area just half a mile from Highbury Stadium. The Ashburton Grove site is in addition to sites at King's Cross and elsewhere already being considered by Arsenal. Initial discussions have commenced with Islington Council who own approximately half the site which is currently used partly to house the Council's depots and a waste transfer station serving north London. The other half of the site includes industrial and storage businesses in a range of buildings. Negotiations with all existing business occupiers will form part of the feasibility study with a view to identifying new premises elsewhere in the area to which existing businesses and the Council activities can be relocated. Islington Council have indicated that they may be prepared to use CPO (compulsory purchase order) powers, if necessary, to facilitate an approved scheme. Arsenal consider that no residential properties would be required for the development. It is Islington Council's intention to prepare draft Planning Briefs for both the Ashburton Grove area and Highbury Stadium. These will be published in January 2000 for wide public consultation after approval by the Council's Development Control Committee and finalised in March/April 2000. As part of the feasibility exercise a detailed environmental impact study will be undertaken in order to establish how a new stadium could fit into the Ashburton Grove area. In particular, studies will address the issues of access by fans and associated transport, highways, traffic and parking. The Club intends to liaise closely with Islington Council, The University of North London and local groups on the scope of the environmental impact study. If the environmental impact study demonstrates that all the major planning, highways and environmental issues can be resolved satisfactorily Arsenal intend to submit a planning application together with an Environmental Statement in October 2000, to be followed by an extensive period of public consultation. If planning consent is granted it is anticipated that a new Stadium could be open possibly by 2003. The new stadium, to be designed by leading stadium architects, would act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the Ashburton Grove area. The Highbury Stadium site could provide a range of new uses including housing, business and leisure. The Ashburton Grove site was introduced to Arsenal by Anthony Green & Spencer who are also retained as agents and development consultants for the scheme. Arsenal Board Director, Danny Fiszman said: "Over the last two years, the Club has carefully considered 15 potential relocation sites. The search has now been narrowed down to three - King's Cross, Ashburton Grove and one other. "We have always made it clear that finding a new home in Islington is our preferred choice. We are very excited about the Ashburton Grove site but we need to take matters step-by-step. Our first task is to undertake a feasibility study to establish whether the site can accommodate the new stadium both physically and economically. "Extensive public consultation and liaison with the local community will be an integral part of our approach." Councillor Derek Sawyer, Leader of Islington Council, said: "I welcome the possibility that Arsenal may be able to stay in the borough that is their home. They are at the very heart of Islington and we would hope there is also potential to build on their current support for community activities. It makes sense for the council to liaise closely with the club to see if a satisfactory development proposal can be devised. We must protect the interests of local residents and businesses as well as trying to meet the needs of Arsenal football club."

And here (most recent first) are some of the latest press releases from AFC:

November 7th 2000

ARSENAL UNVEIL PLANS FOR NEW STADIUM

Plans for Arsenal Football Club's new 60,000 seater stadium at Ashburton Grove have been unveiled. They form part of a major regeneration package involving the redevelopment of the Club's existing Arsenal Stadium for housing, including affordable housing, light industry and community uses. The plans also include the relocation of uses currently located at Ashburton Grove to alternative premises. The plans include proposals for the regeneration of the Lough Road/Eden Grove area which has been derelict and underused for over 20 years.
Detailed discussions are continuing in partnership with landowners Railtrack, J Sainsbury and Peabody Trust for the redevelopment of this six hectare site. Planning applications for all the above facilities have today been submitted to the London Borough of Islington. Officers at the London Borough of Islington have indicated they would be prepared to recommend compulsory purchase of any property that is necessary, in order to secure the public benefit improvements and the better planning of the area which these regeneration proposals promote.
The new Arsenal Stadium, designed by HOK Sport who were responsible for Stadium Australia, will be at the leading edge of good environmental practice. The Stadium will have a capacity of 60,000 spectators in a spectacular four-tier structure, and include the Arsenal Museum and Shop, as well as a range of restaurants and bars.

The main entrance to the stadium will be from a new concourse at the corner of Benwell Road and Hornsey Road. In addition, there will be pedestrian access via two new bridges over the railway from Drayton Park and one of which will be available for emergency vehicles. The stadium will be fully accessible for people with physical disabilities. Adjacent to the new stadium will be located the Arsenal Sports and Community Centre and Arsenal's administrative offices. The new Sports and Community Centre will continue to provide a wide range of activities in partnership with local schools, clubs and voluntary organisations. The Ashburton Grove site was identified for the Club by Anthony Green and Spencer. Ken Friar, Arsenal Director, said: "The new stadium will be a stunning addition to the area and provide a landmark building of which everyone can be proud. Our proposals will also act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the wider area by safeguarding and creating 3,500 jobs, providing over 1,000 new homes and injecting over £400 million of investment into the area. "For over 20 years the Lough Road area has been a blot on the Islington landscape. These proposals will provide substantial public benefit and, unlike previous failed schemes, can be delivered."

The key benefits of the new stadium will be: an increase in stadium capacity which will enable the many thousands of supporters who are unable to attend matches now to do so in the future. a larger stadium will generate additional income in order to sustain and develop the Club's football success. Increased capacity will also enable the Club to keep match tickets at affordable prices. an improved stadium providing a range of additional facilities that will make spectators' visits more pleasurable and encourage wider involvement, particularly amongst women and families. In particular, the new stadium will have much improved access for disabled supporters and enhanced sight lines for all spectators. an energy-efficient stadium that is less costly to maintain. the potential to use the pitch area for up to 6 non-football events a year thereby providing a wider range of activities. The redevelopment of Arsenal Stadium The Club's plans for Arsenal Stadium, designed by Allies and Morrison Architects, will preserve the existing East and West Stands which will each be converted into new apartments with views over the pitch area. Two new housing developments, to provide new flats, mews housing, together with light industrial units and a restaurant, will replace the existing North and South Stands. 25 per cent of the new housing will be "affordable".

The plans for Arsenal Stadium also include: a new doctors' surgery. new housing along Highbury Hill to replace the existing stadium entrance at the corner of Gillespie Road. car parking and storage under the pitch area to serve the new housing. In memory of supporters whose ashes are buried at Highbury, the areas of turf where the ashes were buried will be lifted and re-laid alongside the new pitch at Ashburton Grove. In addition, a permanent memorial will be erected at Highbury, following discussions with relatives. Wider regeneration proposals As part of the Club's wider regeneration proposals the plans also include: new light industrial and business space and housing at Lough Road, a site which has lain derelict for over 20 years. a new road through the Lough Road site linking Holloway Road and Caledonian Road, taking the pressure off Mackenzie Road. the relocation of the North London Waste Authority's Waste Transfer Station and Islington Council's central vehicle depots and associated offices and workshops to a new purpose built complex at Lough Road. a package of transport improvements and crowd management proposals. In all, the regeneration proposals will create and/or safeguard 3,500 jobs and provide over 1,000 new homes as well as acting as a catalyst for the long-term regeneration of the wider Holloway Road/Caledonian Road area.
Transport improvements Public Transport to Arsenal Stadium is already the best in the Premier League with almost 70% of fans arriving by means other than private cars. Further measures to improve transport to the new stadium include managing the existing capacity of the underground station better than at present. Arsenal proposes to work closely with transport operators and the emergency services to develop a fully integrated scheme for managing access to the stadium. The key features will be: Additional trains will be provided on both the Piccadilly and Victoria lines on match days. There is plenty of line capacity and rolling stock available to enable this to happen. Improved stewarding arrangements will be put in place to enable the stations to be used more efficiently and safely. Arsenal is supporting plans by Railtrack, London Underground and the Finsbury Park SRB Partnership Board to upgrade and improve pedestrian access to Finsbury Park rail and underground stations, and Station Place. Highbury & Islington underground and rail stations are not used to a great extent by spectators at present, but they will be much more attractive to users of the new stadium. There is plenty of capacity available to handle additional spectators, subject to proper crowd management. In addition, Railtrack is planning to redevelop the stations, which is likely to increase their capacity even further. Arsenal underground station will continue to perform an important role. Because the new stadium will be further away, it will be possible to manage crowds better by introducing a single approach route along Drayton Park. Holloway Road underground station is a Listed building, with very limited capacity due to its reliance on lifts. It is proposed to limit the use of this station after matches. There is sufficient extra capacity without the need for additional services to Drayton Park station (which is not open at weekends).

However, Drayton Park is on the proposed extended East London line and if the station is served by a more regular train service in the future it could be incorporated into the transport management system. The pressure on all stations will be alleviated by encouraging spectators to arrive earlier and stay on later than at present. This will be done through providing a good range of quality entertainment and catering facilities as part of the new stadium. Parking Controls It is proposed to extend the existing match day parking controls to create a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) which is capable of robust enforcement by Islington Council. The extent of the CPZ will be the subject of consultation with the Council and local residents. It is estimated that the extended CPZ will reduce the number of spectators' cars by at least 2,000 within the zone. In all, Arsenal is confident it will be able to increase the percentage of spectators arriving by means other than private car to over 80%, in line with the approved Planning Brief. Environmental Impact As part of the planning applications for the three sites, Arsenal will be submitting a detailed Environmental Statement. Copies of the non-technical summary of the ES Report are available free of charge.

The Timetable Arsenal has today submitted planning applications for all three sites. It is hoped that planning permission will be granted for all three sites by Spring 2001 so that development work can begin on the Lough Road site to enable the relocation of the Waste Transfer station, Council Depot and Ashburton Grove firms by mid 2002. Initial work on the new stadium site at Ashburton Grove is planned for early 2002 with construction work expected to take about 2 years, leading to the opening of the new stadium for the start of the 2004/5 football season. Redevelopment at Arsenal Stadium would start at the end of 2003/4 season and is programmed to take around 2-3 years.

As part of the Club's public consultation programme, an Information Newsletter is being delivered door-to-door to residents living in the Ashburton Grove, Highbury and Lough Road areas, as well as more generally in the Islington area. In addition, the Club will be holding a Public Exhibition of the proposals for all three sites in the Arsenal Sports and Community Centre on Avenell Road (South Stand entrance). The Public Exhibition, which will include models, plans and other illustrative material, together with a video, will be open on: Thursday 23 November 10.00 am - 8.00 pm Friday 24 November 10.00 am - 8.00 pm Saturday 25 November 10.00 am - 5.00 pm Monday 27 November 10.00 am - 6.00 pm Tuesday 28 November 10.00 am - 6.00 pm Wednesday 29 November 10.00 am - 6.00 pm Thursday 30 November 10.00 am - 6.00 pm Friday 1 December 10.00 am - 6.00 pm Members of Arsenal Football Club's professional consultants will be on hand to answer questions.

April 18th 2000

ARSENAL WELCOME "FIRM BUT FAIR" PLANNING BRIEF FOR NEW STADIUM

Arsenal FC has welcomed the revised planning brief for the proposed new stadium at Ashburton Grove, agreed by Islington Council's Planning Committee on 17th April after extensive public consultation with local residents. The revised planning brief sets out guidelines within which the Club can develop its ideas for a new stadium in preparation for a planning application this October. The planning brief addresses many of the concerns expressed by local residents, particularly in relation to the possible multi-use of the stadium which restricts the number of non-football events to just six a year (of which only 3 could be music events). In relation to public transport, Arsenal is already the most accessible ground by public transport in the Premier League with 59% of fans arriving by underground, train, bus, bike, supporters coach or on foot. The Club has always made it clear that the new stadium proposal would include measures to further improve public transport accessibility. In respect of jobs, the Club has always given its commitment to the relocation of existing businesses to other premises elsewhere in the area. We are in active discussion with the professional advisers of the Ashburton Grove businesses to take this forward. Overall, the Club fully supports and endorses the potential of the new stadium to regenerate the wider area and is keen to work in partnership with Islington Council, The University of North London, other landowners and the community to ensure that the area and its residents secure the maximum benefit from the development. Ken Friar, Managing Director of Arsenal FC said: "The Council officers have done a very professional job in balancing the various comments both for and against the new stadium proposal. "The Council have set down some high hurdles, but we now have a set of agreed guidelines that we can work to in developing our proposals. "As our own and the Council's consultations have revealed, there is a great deal of support from local residents for the new stadium. We want to work with all residents - for and against - to create a new stadium of which everyone in Islington can be proud and which brings wide and lasting benefits to the borough."

April 17th 2000

KEN FRIAR - WRONGFUL COMPARISON

Dear Sir,

A number of recent letters have compared the 27 acre Ashburton Grove site with the 100 acre Manchester United site and the 130 acre Wembley complex. The fact of the matter is that both the Manchester United and Wembley complexes comprise massive surface car parks which encourage the vast majority of supporters to arrive by car. The Arsenal situation is entirely different with almost 60% of supporters arriving by public transport - the highest in the Premier League - and the lowest percentage arriving by car. As part of our new stadium proposals, we envisage minimal car parking and we are investigating ways in which we can enhance public transport links and discourage even fewer fans to arrive by car.

K J Friar, MANAGING DIRECTOR

April 12th 2000

STRONG LOCAL SUPPORT FOR NEW STADIUM PROPOSAL

The majority of Islington residents are in support of Arsenal's proposals for a new stadium at Ashburton Grove, according to the results of the Club's public consultation through the Freepost and Website. Arsenal received 318 written comments about the new stadium proposal via the Freepost of which 188 (59%) were in support of the proposals with or without reservations/questions, and 70 (22%) against the proposal. A further 60 (19%) gave no view either way. There were 2,109 responses to the Arsenal website questionnaire, 7.3% of which were from Islington residents. Of the Islington residents responding to the website 87% were in support, with and without reservations/questions and 8.3% opposed to the proposal. Those in favour of the new stadium proposal gave the following three main reasons for their support: the new stadium would be "good for Islington" the proposed new stadium would be in a good location the new stadium would be good for jobs, regeneration and the community Those opposed to the proposal identified the following three main reasons for their opposition: there would be a detrimental impact on local residents the proposed site for the new stadium is an inappropriate location there would be a detrimental impact on local businesses Managing Director, Ken Friar, said: "It is clear that the public consultation, so far, has identified wide support amongst Islington residents in favour of the new stadium proposals. Issues raised by residents - for and against the proposal - are being addressed by the Club and responses to these issues will be included in the next Arsenal Newsletter Update. "We are encouraged by the response. It shows that, despite the efforts of our opponents, the majority view is in favour of the new stadium at Ashburton Grove."

April 6th 2000

MEETING SET FOR STADIUM PLANNING BRIEFS

The Planning Briefs for Highbury Stadium and Ashburton Grove will be considered by Islington Council's Planning Committee on Monday 17th April 2000. The meeting is due to start at 7.30 pm and will be held at the Town Hall, Upper Street, N1. The meeting is open to the public. In the absence of Richard Heseltine (Chair of Planning Committee) who is ill, the meeting will be chaired by Margot Dunn (Holloway Ward Member). Residents are able to address the committee but must contact the Committee Clerk, Oliver Craxton (020 7527 3337) in order to register their intention beforehand.

20th March 2000

ASHES CEREMONIES AT ARSENAL STADIUM

As many of our supporters will be aware, in recent years, Arsenal Football Club has been honouring the wishes of families, by burying the ashes of their loved ones at Arsenal Stadium. Following the announcement in November that the Club is exploring the feasibility of building a new stadium in the Ashburton Grove area, just half a mile from our current site, Arsenal Football Club is mindful of the concerns of families whose relatives' ashes are buried at Arsenal Stadium. No decisions have yet been taken about the future of the ashes of those buried at Arsenal Stadium. Before any decisions are taken, we will be consulting with relatives on their views. If any families who have had an ashes ceremony at Arsenal Stadium would like to contact the Club with their thoughts, please write to John Beattie, Stadium Manager, Arsenal Football Club, Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, N5 1BU.

March 17th 2000

KEN FRIAR - RESPONSE TO NICK ROBINSON

Dear Sir,

Nick Robinson's letter on behalf of the Bryantwood Road Action Group asks a number of questions about Arsenal's new stadium proposal, all of which we take very seriously. First, he asks how public transport infrastructure will be improved. We are in discussion with London Transport, Railtrack and the various train operating companies on how we can improve services on match days and more generally. We know this is a critical issue which we need to address in some detail and we are working on it. Improving access from the existing underground stations and Drayton Park overground station are all part of our investigations. Second, he asks if the Club would agree to meet 'traffic reduction targets'. Matters such as this are a matter for Islington Council who will need to consider the issue on a borough-wide basis and whether it is practicable to single out Arsenal for 'traffic reduction targets' amongst all the other traffic generating activities that take place in Islington. We will, however, do all we can, in conjunction with the Council and the police, to encourage more fans to come by public transport and leave their cars at home. Third, Nick asks about the contribution Arsenal makes to the cost of litter collection, parking controls and policing. The Club pays over £300,000 a year in business rates and over £200,000 for the cost of policing. In addition, the Club makes a contribution to the costs of the match day parking zone. Fourth, in relation to non-football use of the new stadium, Nick asks what the other uses will be. At this stage, we do not know, but there have never been any rock concerts at Highbury and the last non-football sports use at Highbury was in 1966 when Muhammad Ali knocked out Henry Cooper. We do expect the occasional video screenings of away games to continue, for which the average attendance is currently about 5,000 fans for each game. We will not be sharing the stadium with any other sports club. Finally, Nick asks about benefits for the community. Yes, the sports centre will be relocated and the new stadium will enable the Club to increase its community activities with local schools and groups. We haven't yet worked out how the expanded community programme will operate, but we are committed to making it happen. Arsenal has been a part of the local community since 1913. We want to be good neighbours. Can I assure residents in Bryantwood Road and elsewhere that we will do all we can to work with the local community to address all the issues of concern.

Yours faithfully

K J Friar, MANAGING DIRECTOR

March 3rd 2000

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR HIGHBURY & ISLINGTON EXPRESS

I would like to put the following points to Arsenal's managing director Ken Friar: You say that improved public transport infrastructure "will cater for the majority of visitors", but what are those improvements? You promise to "minimise" the "adverse impacts on the area". Would you agree to meet traffic reduction targets and pay financial penalties for failing to meet them as evidence of your commitment to doing so? You say that "Arsenal will continue to pay for necessary parking controls and area management such as crowd control, litter collection and street cleaning". Do you acknowledgethat you don't pay for this now? How about pledging to meet all these costs in future? You say you want a "multi-use stadium" but that it's too early to say what other uses it might have. Could you rule some uses out which worry local residents - concerts, or sharing the stadium with another sports club, or regular video screenings of away games? You make no mention of other development in addition to a new stadium on this site. Is that because you're not interested in a hotel, casino, night club, shops and food outlets? Or is it because you wish to separate out the issue of a new stadium - popular with fans - from controversial ideas for other development? You talk of benefits for the area. Are you proposing new community facilities or simply relocating your JVC sports centre? Are you proposing any other gains for local residents? Do you really believe that a regular influx of an extra 22,000 fans will improve crowd and parking controls for residents?

NICK ROBINSON, Bryantwood Road Action Group, Bryantwood Road, N7.

March 13th 2000

LOCAL RESIDENTS SUPPORT ARSENAL'S NEW STADIUM PLAN

Local residents in Islington have set up a group to support Arsenal's plans for a new stadium at Ashburton Grove. Called "YES! The campaign to keep Arsenal in Islington", the group comprises local residents of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds, many of whom have lived in the area for most of their lives. Kelross Road resident Steve Sydee, a spokesman for YES!, said: "We are delighted that Arsenal has found a site at Ashburton Grove. It's a great relief to us that the club is not moving out of the area. "We are keen to work closely with the Council, other local groups, all local residents and Arsenal, so that everyone's interests are catered for. "We genuinely believe that the majority of local residents support the Ashburton Grove proposals. We want to make sure the majority voice is heard."

March 7th 2000

ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB STATEMENT

Last week the Ashburton Grove Area Businesses group, distributed a press release (below), Arsenal FC has subsequently issued the following statement: "We welcome the formation of the Ashburton Grove Area Businesses group and are encouraged by the Group's recent statement confirming that it does "not oppose the (new stadium) scheme in principle". "The Club fully understands the Group's need to safeguard its interests and pledges that careful and proper consideration will be given to all the businesses that may be affected by new stadium proposals, including relocation. "Undoubtedly, it is important for us to establish and maintain a close working relationship with all the owners and occupiers of local businesses that may be affected and indeed we have already held a number of positive meetings to ascertain the needs of the businesses involved."

Ken Friar, Managing Director

ASHBURTON GROVE AREA BUSINESS GROUP - PRESS RELEASE

Considerable publicity has been given to the proposals by Arsenal Football Club to construct a new stadium at a site in the Ashburton Grove area of Highbury. However this week many of the owners and occupiers of the land and buildings in the area affected formed a group to protect themselves from the threat of having their businesses disrupted by the proposals. These owners and occupiers between them control considerable business interests which would have to be bought or rehoused by Arsenal in order to build the new stadium. The group known as the Ashburton Grove Area Business group is particularly concerned that any disruption to their businesses may result in closures and consequent redundancies. This could be more likely if businesses are relocated to properties with higher occupational costs. In any event, the group has some doubt if sufficient space to rehouse them is zoned for business use in the borough of Islington. This would inevitably mean that there would be some loss of jobs to the borough, if the plans proceeded. The group do not oppose the scheme in principle, but they will be seeking assurances from both the football club and Islington Council that their interests will be fully considered if they are required to relocate. The group has appointed Richard Asher of Jones Lang LaSalle to advise them. February 21st 2000 Arsenal wishes to carry out public consultations on the Ashburton Grove proposal. Meetings have already taken place with representatives of local groups and organisations, and are being organised with local businesses that may be affected by the new stadium proposals. It is the Club's intention to continue this open and positive approach, including providing regular information updates. In addition, Islington Council is establishing a Review Group of local organisations which will meet regularly to discuss the various environmental and transport impact studies that will be undertaken by Arsenal.