THOUSANDS of bricks made by a North Yorkshire company have been used to help regenerate the former home of Arsenal Football Club.

The York Handmade Brick Company, based at Alne, near Easingwold, supplied the bricks to restore Highbury Stadium’s iconic East Stand to its former glory.

The East Stand now fronts the new Highbury Stadium Square – a quality housing development that has been built on the old ground, which is due to be officially opened by the club’s manager, Arsene Wenger, on Thursday.

York Handmade provided nearly 20,000 of its Clifton Blend bricks for the development in a contract worth £24,000.

David Armitage, the chairman and managing director of York Handmade, said: “This was the most amazing job for us.

“The old Highbury Stadium is one of the most famous football grounds in the world and we were tremendously proud to be involved in preserving and enhancing such an important part of football’s history.

“As you can imagine, this was a very sensitive regeneration scheme. Following an exhaustive investigation by English Heritage, Camden Council and the Arsenal directors themselves, very strict guidelines were drawn up to ensure that the Highbury Stadium Square development was of the highest quality and fitted in seamlessly with its surroundings.

“It was a crucial condition of the planning process that the exterior of the old Grade II-listed East Stand, which houses Arsenal’s famous marble halls, should be preserved as it was. Our Clifton Blend handmade bricks fitted the brief perfectly.”

The new Highbury Stadium Square comprises a collection of contemporary studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, all overlooking landscaped gardens, where the pitch used to be.

Mr Armitage said: “Obviously I am delighted to be part of such a significant and sensitive development. I am especially proud that a Yorkshire manufacturing company was chosen to be part of a prestigious London project.

“That underlines that we have a recognized presence on the national as well as the regional stage.”