Judge overturns planning permission for Tottenham training ground at Whitewebbs Park
Decision quashed due to incomplete environmental impact information
Plans for Tottenham Hotspur's new women's and girls' football academy at Whitewebbs Park, north London, have been halted following a High Court ruling.
Judge Sir Tim Kerr ruled that Enfield Council's decision to grant planning permission for the facility was unlawful due to incomplete consideration of environmental impact information.
The decision—originally made to develop 10 football pitches and additional facilities—was contested by campaign group Guardians of Whitewebbs, who highlighted procedural deficiencies during a June hearing.
Councillors had reportedly been "materially misled" as they lacked relevant information when making their decision.
Ecologist Giles Sutton's report, detailing adverse environmental impacts due to the loss of parkland, was not fully disclosed, impacting the decision-making process.
Spurs argued the result would have been unchanged even with the full report and dismissed bias claims as "overblown," although the judge rejected this, emphasising the importance of public access to complete information.
The club's 25-year lease agreement for the site was previously unsuccessfully challenged in 2024.
Moving forward, Spurs must now re-evaluate their proposal, considering the court's decision to uphold community and environmental interests.