Arsenal's move to new stadium delayed for extra year

Arsenal Football Club has confirmed today (Thursday) that its new home at Ashburton Grove will not be ready until the start of the 2005/06 season - a year later than planned.

The Premiership champions were finally able to begin work on the £450m project this week, with the first stage the task of demolishing the existing buildings at Lough Road where the new waste and recycling centre will be built.

Only when that is in action can the current centre at Ashburton Grove in Islington, north London, be demolished, clearing the way for the new stadium's erection.

A lengthy delay in obtaining planning permission for the project held up the building work by almost a year and that has forced the Gunners to look to three years' time before the big move can take place.

The club had to win a lengthy battle with local residents and businesses to get permission to relocate. It also had to gain approval for the scheme from Islington Council, the mayor of London and the government as it planned the move to the 60,000-seater stadium.