Harrow Borough Council has withdrawn its enforcement notice for Barnet FC to pull down a stand and remove floodlights at its stadium The Hive.

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.

The announcement was made last night at Harrow Borough Council’s planning committee meeting where members, were informed of the decision.

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 the application on the basis that the stadium's floodlights and west stand fell outside specifications agreed earlier by the council.

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

The football club announced it would appeal against both the planning committees’ decision to reject the proposal and the enforcement notice.

Council planning officers said at last night's meeting 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.

Last night, councillors agreed to hold a special meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday next week to discuss the council’s arguments in the inquiry.