BARNET Football Club is set to start building its new sports stadium in Harrow.

The club has secured the finances to start building on Prince Edward Playing Fields, in St Davids Drive, Edgware, and has agreed contracts with Harrow Council.

The new £3m stadium will be used by the club for training the Barnet Football Club senior and youth teams, and will be available for use by local sports teams.

Building work on the stadium project, which will take five and a half months to complete, can begin as soon as it is approved by sporting charity Football Foundation.

The council has agreed with the football club it will run a range of courses, including disabled coaching and referees training, at the new stadium.

Local schools and sports groups will be offered discounted access to use its facilities.

Reacting to the news, Councillor David Ashton, leader of Harrow Council, said: "The announcement of this development is great news.

"Harrow is committed to sports opportunities, and the Prince Edward Playing Fields site will, I am sure, become a regular fixture for up-and-coming football talent."

The stadium had been suggested as a new home for Wealdstone Football Club. But after delays to the project on the Prince Edward Playing Fields, the club recently moved to Ruislip Manor Sports and Social Club.

However, it may be able to use the training facilities when the stadium is opened.