BLACKBURN Rovers got the official go-ahead for their £12 million new stadium at Ewood Park, despite protests about the demolition of houses near the ground.

The amended scheme would raise the capacity of the ground to 30,000, but Coun Mike Higginson said the plans would mean "devastation" for the area. Coun Tony Leak argued that Rovers' position in the Premier League was putting Blackburn back on the map.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.