Council approve new Arsenal stadium

Arsenal's application for planning permission to build their new stadium half a mile from Highbury at Ashburton Grove was tonight…

Arsenal's application for planning permission to build their new stadium half a mile from Highbury at Ashburton Grove was tonight approved before a public meeting of Islington Council in London.

The Gunners were sweating on getting the nod from Islington councillors, who voted 34-8 in favour of the club's plans for a state-of-the-art, 60,000-seater stadium.

Arsenal are unable to extend Highbury, so they wanted to sell the site for luxury housing and move to the new location in north London instead.

They had claimed such a move is "critical" for the club's future.

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Manager Arsene Wenger announced at the end of last week he had at last signed a new four-year contract, and the proposed move to the new stadium at Ashburton Grove was believed to be one of the factors which persuaded the Frenchman to commit his future to the club.

Arsenal faced some opposition, however, from businesses and residents in the area, who were hoping for a full public inquiry into the issue, but the north London giants have now been given the green light by councillors.

PA