Saracens welcome plans to revamp Barnet Copthall stadium

Nigel Wray, the Saracens chairman, today welcomed news that the club's plans to spend £20m to revamp Barnet Copthall stadium to provide the Premiership champions with a new home in 2013 have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

It will now go before the Barnet Council planning committee meeting on 2 February and Wray,who will fund £10m of the project himself, said: "The recommendation to approve our planning application by council officers is a very positive step forward and we sincerely hope that councillors at Barnet will also be able to support the plans.

"The recommendation is the result of a thorough analysis of all aspects of the plans and a lot of hard work to develop the best possible scheme. Issues have been raised throughout the process, such as Green Belt policy and transportation. We have responded positively by amending our plans, providing further information and introducing robust safeguards.

"We are not a normal developer. We plan to make Copthall our home. We are therefore committed to working closely with the local community and becoming a part of it. We want and need local support and we will work hard for it. We absolutely promise that. We will treat local residents with respect and make a positive difference in the area.

"We are delighted with the amount of support that we have received from throughout the local community. This has come from residents, local sports clubs, community groups and schools, all of whom will benefit from the new and improved facilities at Copthall and greater accessibility to them. We absolutely promise that we will make Copthall a community asset that we can all be proud of."

The revived Barnet Copthall stadium would become home to Saracens who would play up to 16 matches per year on a new synthetic pitch. At all other times (349 days) the facilities would be available to the local community, a home to Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers.