The boss of Saracens rugby club today vowed to create a "unique" community stadium in north London if its plans for a new home are approved by Boris Johnson.
The Aviva Premiership champions have been given permission by Barnet council to move to the Copthall stadium in Mill Hill as part of an £18 million redevelopment. But community and environmental groups say the plans, which would increase the capacity to 10,000, would damage the surrounding green belt.
The club, which is based in St Albans and plays its home games at Vicarage Road, Watford, will not be able to move until the scheme has been approved by the Mayor's office and Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.
Saracens chief executive Edward Griffiths said they could move into their new home, which would include a new indoor athletics track, by October.
The new ground would be used for up to 16 home matches a year and remain open for use by the community and athletics club Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers for the rest of the time.
Mr Griffiths said: "We are proposing something that will be a genuine community site. It was always thought that you can't combine team sports and athletics but we have found a way to do it.
"We are returning to our roots in north London. Through having a venue that can be so widely used, it will allow us to open up a real emotional tie with the community."
Barnet council, which approved the plans last week, is expected to refer the application to the Mayor in the next few days. Mr Johnson has 14 days to rule on the plans and Mr Pickles 21 days.
Last year a report by the Mayor's office criticised the proposals, saying: "The large influx of cars and people would be harmful to the quiet character of the green belt."
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Groups including Copthall Community Initiative, which described the plans as a "crying shame for the community" have pledged to lobby to oppose the application.
