Game of two halves (and a water feature)

Highbury Square, Arsenal’s iconic former stadium, now transformed into a fashionable complex of 724 apartments, opens tomorrow - with its "hallowed turf" preserved as an immaculately groomed landscaped garden.

With 60 of the new flats priced from £250,000, devoted Gunners fans are likely to be first in the queue. Wealthy supporters can choose penthouses priced from £1.5 million.

As in the club’s glory days, the pitch is set to be the development’s key attraction. Floor-to-ceiling glass offers uninterrupted views from apartments built on the old terraces.

The pitch now forms a magnificent two-acre private garden, landscaped in grid form by Christopher Bradley-Hole, a Chelsea Flower Show medal winner. He has used glass walls to sculpt an impressive water feature and planted hedges to create tranquil retreats - all set above a new underground spa and car park.

Residents will be able to access London’s newest "garden square" by using swipe cards to open push-through gates set around the pitch. A gravelled perimeter, still within the ground, will be open to the public during daylight hours so that non-resident fans can still pay homage to the stadium.

"Now that it’s all complete, the development stands out on its own merits and doesn’t actually need the Arsenal connection," insists Edward Lewis of estate agent Savills.

The four apartment blocks, each fronting a side of the former stadium, have crisp symmetry. Most flats and duplexes are inward looking with views over the pitch area. Some flats have spacious private terraces. The listed Art Deco main entrance to the stadium has been retained and is now a concierge and reception area.

Call 0845 2626000, or visit www.highburysquare.com.