Wembley is on its way

Rising above the suburban semis, it is a gigantic skeleton of steel and concrete: the new home of English football is finally starting to take shape.

This Evening Standard aerial picture shows the scale of the £757 million Wembley Stadium project. It was taken as Wembley National Stadium Ltd said work could be finished by late 2005, five months ahead of schedule.

The 90,000-seat arena is set to become the finest covered stadium in the world.

Lying flat at the far end of the structure, the 133-metrehigh, roof-supporting " triumphal arch" can be seen. It is being assembled where it lays and early next year will be lifted into place by cranes. It will replace the Twin Towers as a landmark.

The stadium will host the national football team, and if London wins the 2012 Olympics, the Games soccer tournament. "If Wembley is finished ahead of schedule, on budget, it will be excellent for raising our reputation," a spokesman for the London 2012 bid said.

Corporate boxes and expensive season tickets have virtually sold out. Ten-year season tickets will soon go on sale at £17,500 - but they guarantee entry to 12 games a year. The Football Association has promised to retain 73,000 seats for general sale.

Plans for a £1 billion local regeneration have been submitted to Brent council by developer Quintain. They include Wembley Park Boulevard - a car-free road lined with restaurants and shops.