Barnet FC chairman Tony Kleanthous has challenged the Tory leadership of Barnet Council to show him how to get the capacity at Underhill up to 6,000.

The move comes a week after Conservative councillors voted unanimously to block the club's plans for a 9,200 capacity stadium to the south of Underhill in order to preserve the Green Belt. The councillors voted instead to work with the club to increase the capacity at the present ground a solution the football club says is impossible if the stadium remains in Green Belt.

"Their the council officers haven't been able to make it to that figure in eight years so perhaps they can advise us how to do it now," said the Barnet chairman. "We don't want to get into a battle with them but the clock is ticking away. We need a ground to meet the criteria by April."

Mr Kleanthous also pointed out that the club has been informed on several occasions by the council's safety officers and the Football Licencing Authority that the minimum capacity of 6,000 cannot be achieved while the stadium remains in Green Belt.

"Underhill is only a short-term solution anyway and we would seem to be back to square one in the eyes of the council in trying to get a new home," added Mr Kleanthous.

But Tory council leader Councillor Victor Lyon said he would do all he could to help the club and would not rule out the council accepting the UDP proposals to take Underhill out of Green Belt. He said: "My motion was supporting what they put in their letter to me on June 24. We need an application from the club. The UDP will have to go to consultation but I will process it as quickly as possible. Why don't they get on with it

July 17, 2002 18:30