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Boris Johnson gives Spurs £8 million of riot cash

Winchy85

Legend
May 22, 2006
3,914
136
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/stand...n-gives-spurs-pound-8-million-of-riot-cash.do

Boris Johnson is to offer Tottenham Hotspur a huge cash injection in a move that could finally end the battle over the Olympic Stadium, the Standard can reveal.


The Mayor is proposing to use almost half of the £20 million given by the Treasury to rebuild riot-damaged Tottenham and Croydon to help the football club push through its plans for a new 56,250-seat stadium.
It would allow the football club to press ahead with its £400 million redevelopment of White Hart Lane rather than continue its court bid to gain control of the Olympic Stadium, which has been awarded to West Ham United.


Senior City Hall sources today told the Standard that a deal is on the table that will mean the Mayor's office will be responsible for more than £8 million worth of regeneration around the new stadium development, meaning that the planning application can finally go through.


It is also believed that Mr Johnson will consider buying some of the land around the stadium, which could then be used by the Greater London Authority to encourage businesses back into the area by offering "regeneration perks".
The football club have been seeking a judicial review over the Olympic Park Legacy Company's decision to hand the £486 million stadium in Stratford to rivals West Ham following the Games.



In the past 24 hours Tottenham officials have been involved in "intense negotiations" with the Mayor's office over plans to build a new stadium in north London.


City Hall sources today told the Standard that the parties are "incredibly close" to doing a deal. But today Tottenham asked a High Court judge for permission to mount a legal challenge over the decision to give the Olympic Stadium to West Ham.


The club's plans for the 20-acre site for the Northumberland Development Project take in the existing 36,310-seat stadium, a row of Victorian shops in the High Road and all the industrial buildings stretching north to Northumberland Park.


A City Hall insider told the Standard: "The feeling is that we are close to a deal with Tottenham Hotspur. We feel that it could happen pretty quickly.
"The plan currently involves using about £8.5 million to regenerate the area around the stadium so Tottenham Hotspur don't have to find that money themselves.


"It will mean the football club don't have to find almost £10 million for public realm improvements that they would be required to carry out to get the planning application accepted.


"The hope is that this will allow Spurs to press ahead with the stadium redevelopment."

The source added: "Boris has always been adamant that the football club should stay in Tottenham.



It has been very important to him. But it is important to say that this is nothing to do with the Judicial Review. This is no bargaining chip.
Boris prioritised Tottenham as an important area for regeneration months ago and said he would work with the football club to try to find a solution."
MP for Tottenham David Lammy said: "I think we are close to getting there and Spurs are more confident about White Hart Lane than they have been for some considerable time. I want Spurs to stay in Tottenham. They are needed in Tottenham."


A source at Tottenham Hotspur refused to confirm that the money had been offered by City Hall. The source said: "Nothing has been agreed. There are still discussions going on with the Mayor's office."
 

Annabel

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2005
2,364
4,764
Newham gave the spammers £40 mill & we're being offered £8 to offset what the council would require us to spend due to planning considerations...

Thanks Boris, that's your first offer, what next?
 

steventhfc

See man driving a german whip.
May 20, 2009
2,059
818
If you ever watch Deal or no deal, you know you do not deal at the first offer.
 

Samson

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2007
1,154
304
Then you'd also know that sometimes you should have.

Agreed, but if the funding gap is, for the sake of argument, 100 million, there's little point in us taking an offer that won't materially affect our situation.
 
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