Harrow Borough Council has withdrawn its enforcement notice ordering Barnet FC to pull down a stand and remove floodlights at its Hive stadium.

The council has been given legal advice that it would be highly unlikely the authority would be successful in the enforcement action at a public inquiry in June this year.

Officers told councillors this evening at Harrow Borough Council’s planning committee meeting.

Planners say if the council was to continue with an unsuccessful claim it could cost the authority up to £300,000.

In September, members rejected a retrospective application from the club on the basis that the stadium's floodlights and west stand fell outside specifications agreed by the council.

The council then issued Barnet with a planning enforcement notice, which means the club would have six months to demolish the stand and three months to remove the lights.

The football club announced it would appeal both the planning committee's decision to reject the proposal and the enforcement notice on the stadium.

Council planning officers said this evening that by withdrawing the enforcement notice the authority was able to focus its attention on the appeal, which will take place over three days starting on June 10.

This evening councillors agreed to hold a special meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday next week to discuss the council’s arguments for the appeal.