Arsenal architect comments on stalled stadium

Piers Gough, head of architecture firm CZWG, has spoken out about the changes to redevelopment plans of Arsenal's Emirates stadium.<br/><br/>

Piers Gough, head of architecture firm CZWG, has spoken out about the changes to redevelopment plans of Arsenal's Emirates stadium.

The stadium, which has been recently completed in north London, was designed with plans to redevelop the surrounding area included.

However it has recently been announced that the final part of the £390 million development of the local area will have to be stalled not because of the economic slowdown but because of local politics.

"We had political changes and a change in planning officer, which conspired to redirect us," said Mr Gough.

The original plans included residential blocks up to fourteen stories high, and leisure facilities for the public.

The plans were criticised however by Kevin O'Leary, the council's director of environment and regeneration, for being too imposing.

Commenting on plans for the future, Mr Gough told Building.co.uk that, "We now have to reduce the height to within one storey of the original scheme and we have dropped the cinema.

"But we will have nearly as many apartments as we planned and 50 per cent of them will be affordable, which is higher than in the original outline consent."