News from The Barnet Society

After being refused permission in January, Barnet Council’s planning committee has now approved plans for the proposed Ark Academy school on the site of the vacant Underhill stadium, former home of Barnet Football Club.

Barnet Council’s planning committee has voted unanimously to reject plans to build a massive all-through academy school on the site of Barnet Football Club’s former stadium at Underhill.

After facing a barrage of complaints and criticism over proposal to build a new school for almost 2,000 pupils on what was formerly the Barnet Football Club stadium, the Ark Academy network admitted its plans were “not yet a done deal”.

Planners and consultants representing the proposed Ark Pioneer Academy to be built on the site of the former Barnet Football Club stadium at Underhill, insist that a new school for almost 2,000 pupils is needed for the northern part of the Borough of Barnet.

Barnet Council is being asked to give its support to a bid to re-open Barnet Cricket Club pavilion at Underhill and to convert its disused pitch into a new community playing field for cricket and football.

A campaign to get Barnet Football Club to return to the town in a new purpose-built stadium is to be stepped up, after what local supporters believe could be some promising signs.

Underhill stadium, home ground of Barnet Football Club for over a century, is to be sold.  News that the club’s chairman Tony Kleanthous has put the Bees’ former stadium up for sale will be a disappointment for the campaign Back2Barnet that has been fighting to get professional football restored to the town.