Barnet Football Club yesterday unveiled plans for a new £12 million stadium adjacent to its current Underhill site.

Bees Chairman Tony Kleanthous made the announcement at a press conference saying it was the club's "last chance to build a home in the borough".

The new stadium, which will be located in land to the south of Underhill, will incorporate a new capacity of 9,200 and have conferencing facilities, 14 executive boxes, lecture rooms and a number of bars and food stands. However, Underhill will remain in its present form to be used by the club's reserve, youth and ladies teams along with community groups.

The move has been taken because the club's current Underhill site has a slope and does not meet Football League requirements of a 6,000 capacity.

The East Terrace is to be demolished to enhance the outlook of neighbouring residents and the club has agreed to house both St John Ambulance and the Scouts, within the new stadium, to offset the loss of their original homes. There will be a large amount of landscaping but the club say the council will have to find Barnet Cricket Club a new home.

Mr Kleanthous does not envisage any problems raising the money for the £12million scheme though.

He said: "I never let money stand in the way of a good idea and we will raise the money. I will put some of the money in and hopefully the Football Foundation will put in £3million and then of course there is a lot of commercial revenue."

This latest planning application, which was submitted to the council on October 17, is the fourth application made by Mr Kleanthous for a new home following two at Copthall and once at Claremont Road. The total amount of money spent on the applications is more than £400,000.

October 19, 2001 14:50

KEVIN BURCHALL