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TOP flight football club Tottenham Hotspur has been refused permission to build a state-of-the-art training academy on the fringe of Broxbourne borough.

The Premiership outfit wanted to create a 57 acre (23 hectare) training facility on land to the west of Myddelton House - the headquarters of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, in Bulls Moor, near Waltham Cross.

Twenty-two acres (9 hectares) of the earmarked site is used by the club as sports pitches, with the remaining 35 acres (14 hectares) being neighbouring agricultural land.

Enfield Council's planning committee threw out the plans on a 9-3 vote, on the grounds the proposal conflicted with national planning guidance on Green Belts, as well as the council's own Green Belt and general development policies.

A decision was deferred first time round in June in order for a bat survey to be carried out, as Myddelton House and the surrounding woods are believed to provide a habitat for some rare breeds of the creature.

Tottenham Hotspur had envisaged demolishing its existing sports pavilion and tennis courts and constructing in their place a two-storey L-shaped academy incorporating a domed indoor pitch, 12 outdoor pitches (some floodlit), two car parks, a groundkeeper's store, an electricity sub-station and an entry lodge with security barrier.

The club promised to fund a 10-year Ł2m community programme that would see up to 20,000 youngsters a year being coached by professional soccer trainers.

Enfield Council reports show that the hugely controversial plans divided the community - there were 648 letters of objection, plus protests from historical and environmental societies, residents' associations and wildlife groups.

But there were 837 letters in support, with Spurs received the backing of charities, youth workers, the Met Police and other local authorities.

Spurs' sporting director Damien Comolli said: "We were always aware of the inherent difficulties in seeking planning within the Metropolitan Green Belt.

"Over the next few weeks, the club will examine the reasons for the decision and determine the options available to us.

"It was quite clear from the officer's report exactly how much support, particularly locally, there was for our project."