Haringey will give Spurs the OK to start buying up properties - but only if they promise to stay in the borough

HARINGEY Council has attempted to further encourage Spurs to stay in Tottenham by allowing compulsory purchase orders to begin in the area – if the club commit to the borough.

A motion passed at a meeting on Tuesday stated that should the club give unequivocal assurances that it would stay in Tottenham rather than moving to the Olympic stadium in Stratford, councillors would allow the lengthy process of CPOs to begin. The orders mean that owners of properties blocking development can be forced to sell.

Along with West Ham, Spurs are in the final two competing to take over the Stratford stadium after the 2012 Olympics.

While Spurs already owns much of the land surrounding the existing White Hart Lane stadium, a CPO would enable the club to buy other land essential to allowing the multi-million pound scheme to go ahead.

Council Leader Cllr Claire Kober said: “Haringey has worked hard to pull this report together swiftly because we know that a CPO would allow Spurs’ plans, which have the full backing of the council, to progress unhindered.

“The council has acted in the interests in the club and is committed to seeing work on the project continue. We look forward to work starting on site and to welcoming Spurs’ 56,000 capacity state-of-the-art stadium to Tottenham.”

Plans for the redevelopment of White Hart Lane include a new stadium alongside huge regeneration benefits for Tottenham – including new homes, a supermarket, a hotel, business opportunities and hundreds of local jobs.