Saracens rugby union team has submitted plans to transform London's Copthall Stadium into a multi-purpose community sports venue.

Barnet Council will determine the fate of the scheme, which will see the refurbished venue used for rugby union, athletics and community activities. Under the plans for the venue, Saracens said it will not use the stadium to stage more than 16 days of Premiership rugby and has devised a comprehensive matchday plan.

Rugby would be played at the venue between September and May with a 10,000 capacity, incorporating three removable stands. The new-look Copthall Stadium will also provide a home for Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers athletics club and offer international-standard facilities during summer.

Saracens chair Nigel Wray said: "Our proposal is, we hope, really great news for everyone in north London because the artificial turf pitch will create something absolutely unique in England. "The award-winning Saracens Foundation will be based at the stadium, working in the Barnet community, creating 'Teams not Gangs,' improving the quality of life and creating opportunities for young people."

Last October, however, Barnet Football Club expressed concern that Saracens' plans for the stadium could force the npower League Two side out of the borough, having previously seen the Copthall site as a potential new home.