Tottenham Hotspur: Ambitious plans for new stadium dealt blow by authorities

Tottenham Hotspur, the English soccer club, has been dealt a blow by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), which has criticised aspects of Spurs' plans for a new stadium.

Tottenham want to build a new 56,250-capacity ground adjacent to White Hart Lane, the club's current home. Though the designs for the stadium have drawn praise from many quarters, including CABE, Tottenham's plans include new housing, retail space and a public square, which CABE, who willa dvise Haringey Council on whether to grant planning permission, have concerns over.

"Although we support the design of the stadium, regrettably we cannot support the planning application as a whole," reported CABE in their design review, adding: "We are concerned that an overall masterplan for the site is not evident: the three components - the stadium, supermarket, and housing - feel like very separate projects without convincing spatial relationships between them."

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Tottenham may have to rethink elements of the proposal before planning permission is granted. The club submitted its proposal in October.

Meanwhile, at White Hart Lane, Tottenham's fortunes appear to be on the rise. Harry Redknapp's team sit fourth in the Premier League after beating London rivals Fulham 2-0 on Tuesday night, with goals from David Bentley and Peter Crouch.