A HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED decision on whether to approve a planning application made to Harrow Council over Barnet Football Club’s stadium The Hive has been stalled.

Stephen Kelly, the authority’s divisional director of planning, admitted to the committee on Thursday that he was “embarrassed” that the council were not prepared to be able to recommend on whether or not the decision should be approved.

Barnet Football Club are looking for approval from Harrow Council on a number of alternations to The Hive, including an increase in the height of floodlights and an increase in the capacity of the west stand.

Mr Kelly told the committee that he was told by the council’s legal advice that the planning department can only recommend a deferral on the decision as the council has not yet assessed whether or not an environmental impact assessment is required before putting the application to the vote.

He said at the meeting: “I’m embarrassed to report this to you at this late stage. It’s an important part of the process that we have failed to take.”

Tony Kleanthous, Barnet's chairman, told the Observer after the meeting: "It was disappointing. We were prepared and ready to discuss the application. Of course it is disappointing when this happens but it is important that they follow the correct procedures.

"I would rather them get it right than keep digging a deeper hole."

Following the meeting, Mr Kelly told the Observer: "The council would like to apologise for the delay and is working hard to rectify this so we can proceed with this application as soon as possible."

He also insisted that the delay in processing the application will not affect the commitment of Harrow Council to resolving the outstanding issues at The Hive.

The Observer understands that on the eve of the meeting, councillors were given a recommendation on the application at 8pm on July 31, and then at 1pm the next day, only a matter of hours before the vote, were given a totally different recommendation.

The planning committee’s chairman, Independent Labour’s Councillor William Stoodley was disappointed at the recommendation from Mr Kelly.

“I feel we have been messed about,” he told the committee. “The council has been messed about, the residents have been messed about.

“I intend to look in to this and I hope this never happens again.”

Labour’s Queensbury ward councillor Sachin Shah, who has been at the forefront of The Hive debate, said: “The applicant has put in a planning application and should have it heard. This is an absolute disgrace."

Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP for Harrow East who has previously organised a public meeting to discuss The Hive, said: "The Hive project has been carried out without due planning process or adequate dialogue with the local community. It is quite amazing and deeply concerning that Harrow Council failed to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment, leading to this stalemate.”

Mr Stoodley assured the Observer after the meeting that he will work to rectify the situation.