WORKS begin in earnest next Tuesday to pave the way for the state of the art Tottenham Hotspurs academy in Bulls Cross.

Construction on the 67-acre green-belt site will run from 7.30am to 7pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. The works are expected to be complete in 2010.

A temporary fence has been erected and a permanent fence will go up in phases as the land is levelled in preparation for the planned ten new football pitches and one artificial pitch.

Over the past few months an archaeological dig has been carried out under a plan agreed with English Heritage.

Tottenham Hotspur says no finds of interest were logged on the site.

The club plans to construct a two-storey training facility, which will result in the loss of 11 hectares of agricultural land, which is part of the Forty Hall estate and was used by Capel Manor College.

Material from the demolition of Whitewebbs Sports Club will be used as the base for the new access roads.

In late autumn, the club plans to plant 600 metres of new hedgerow using native species such as holly, blackthorn and dog rose. A date for the construction of the training centre building has not yet been set.

When planning permission was given for the development, in November 2007, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said the decision meant the club was “one step closer to building a state-of-the-art facility which would enable them to attract, retain and train world-class talent.”

He said: "The community package that will accompany this facility will additionally deliver great benefits for the people of Enfield."

The plans were opposed by Housing cabinet member Matthew Laban, Save Chase Farm Cllr Kate Wilkinson, Cllr Henry Lamprecht, the Friends of Forty Hall Park and the conservation group Enfield Society.

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