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Mayor backs Arsenal stadium

Arsenal FC’s new stadium has been given the full support of London’s mayor.

Planning permission
The English FA Premiership club were given planning permission for the 60,000–capacity venue at Ashburton Grove half a mile from their current Highbury home last month, but the backing of mayor Ken Livingstone was necessary.

Olympic designers
The stadium has been designed by the company that created Stadium Australia, the main arena of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Arsenal hope to have it ready for the 2004/05 season.

Mayor impressed
Livingstone revealed he would have rejected Arsenal's original planning proposals but had been impressed by the latest plans and by the fact that the Premiership club have increased their contribution for local transport improvement. A statement revealed he also "welcomed the significant proportion of affordable housing included in the development".

'Listened very carefully'
"I have listened very carefully to the advice of those who still object," Livingstone added. "On balance, I believe that the new package of proposals will give London a world-class stadium, new homes and jobs and a better environment, and will help to regenerate a part of London desperately in need of major investment."