Arsenal's stadium plans delayed

Local Government Secretary Stephen Byers has blocked progress of Arsenal's £200m stadium at Ashburton Grove until he decides whether to call for a public inquiry.

Islington Council and the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone have already approved the scheme but Byers has issued a holding order, saying the government needs more than the statutory 21 days to consider the application for planning permission. If an inquiry were called, it would delay the scheme by over two years.

The announcement that the Secretary of State wants more time is a purely administrative process that we always expected, said club director, Ken Friar. We are confident that the government will give the go-ahead just as soon as it has studied all the extensive technical material that has been submitted in support of the stadium.