[Pictures] Chelsea FC submit planning application for A?600 million redevelopment of Stamford Bridge to 60,000-seater stadium

Premier League champions Chelsea FC have submitted a planning application to the Hammersmith and Fulham council for the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge to a 60,000-capacity stadium

Chelsea FC have long been considering an upgrade of Stamford Bridge, which currently has a maximum capacity of around 42,000 — lower than most of the other top clubs in the country. In good news for Blues’ fans, the club have taken the next step towards a move to a planned 60,000-seater stadium, submitting a planning application to the local council of Hammersmith and Fulham, who reportedly received it on the 19th of November.

A consultation period is set to follow until the 8th of January next year, and if everything goes according to plan, the initial stages of the redevelopment could begin next summer. An obstacle that remains is determining where Chelsea FC will play their football in the interim, with England’s national stadium Wembley being touted as a possible venue.

Chelsea FC submit plans for Stamford Bridge redevelopment

A detailed report in British publication Mail Online states that up to 160 documents were published on Tuesday, featuring spectacular images of the proposed new stadium. The project is expected to take up to 3 years, with work scheduled to begin in 2017, meaning the Blues could move in to their new home at the start of the 2020-2021 English Premier League season.

Roman Abramovich has employed the world-renowned Swiss architects Herzog and de Mueron, who were also responsible for the design of Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Olympic Stadium.

The redevelopment of the current site will also include the demolition of surrounding hotels, restaurants and a health centre, before the demolition of Stamford Bridge itself. The rebuilding of the stadium is expected to occur in Phase Three of the project, beginning in the middle of 2018.

Fans will have a big say in the project’s progress

Club owner Roman Abramovich has long had an interest in buying the freehold of the land on which Stamford Bridge stands — currently owned by the Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) company.

However, attempts in the past to do so have not been successful, but the fact that the Blues will not move from their current home in the long term means that this project is less likely to face significant resistance.

Moving to a larger stadium will significantly increase matchday revenue for Chelsea FC, and is arguably the final step towards the club moving up to the level of the European elite.

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