Former Superdome boss John Garside is spearheading a £1 billion development on the site of the new Wembley Stadium.

He has been appointed Director of Property for Wembley PLC, a job created for him by the major company.

The man whose £200 million plan for Odsal Stadium failed to get off the ground after five years of delays, is now in charge of a huge development to go up alongside the new Wembley.

It would include a world trade and congress centre and new arena, hotel, offices and leisure development.

Mr Garside said existing buildings on the site would be demolished.

His new employers, Wembley PLC, sold the site of the existing Wembley stadium last year to developers planning the new, world-class facility on the site.

The Football Association-backed Wembley National Stadium bought the stadium for £103 million with the intention of replacing it by 2003.

But Wembley PLC retained 50 acres of the surrounding area, currently housing the arena, offices, exhibition centre and parking.

Now Mr Garside, who has moved to the south of England, is about to submit a planning application to Brent Council for the massive development.

Ironically, Wembley PLC won Sports Council funding for the redevelopment of the national stadium, which it then owned, against five other bidders, including Superdome, in 1995.

Mr Garside had bid for £40 million for his ambitious 70,000-seater scheme, with its sliding, retractable roof.

But the Superdome chief executive said after losing the bid that he was able to continue with existing funding and his world-class development was not dependent on the Sports Council backing.

A new developer, Leeds-based Sterling Capitol, has now been chosen by Bradford Council to redevelop Odsal as a 30,000-seater stadium after Superdome pulled out last Christmas.

Mr Garside said in an exclusive interview today from his Wembley office that his new job had been obtained by contacts and had not been advertised.

He said he expected to submit a planning application next year to Brent Council for the massive scheme round the new prestige stadium.

Mr Garside said: "It will cost about £600 million just for the shell and core of our development. It is an exciting time."

He added that the company was dealing directly with English Partnerships and the Government offices.

Mr Garside said the timing of the Wembley PLC scheme would depend on Brent Council's ability to process the planning application.

He said there was a "amusing irony" in the fact that Superdome had lost out to Wembley over the Sports Council funding. "I think we gained mutual respect."

He said his new Wembley scheme would take three years to complete. Talks were proceeding with developers.

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said: "Clearly he is someone who has grand vision."

Mr Sutcliffe said there had been problems with the time-scale in Bradford and was sorry Superdome had not happened.

Chairman of Bradford Council's Regeneration Committee, Councillor Dave Green, said: "I am sure I and the people of Bradford wish Wembley Stadium every success."

Councillor Margaret Eaton, leader of the Council's Tory group, said: "We all know what Mr Garside is capable of and I am sure he can build on his considerable achievements in Bradford."

The main Wembley Stadium will shut at the end of August next year and is expected to reopen in 2003.

Wembley PLC chief executive Nigel Potter said he had met Mr Garside about six years ago when they were in competition for a national stadium.

"We were highly impressed with the commercial viability of Bradford submission.

"Following the expiry of the Odsal contract we approached John with a view to utilising his experience in the profitable development of the Wembley property portfolio."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.