After the Hammersmith and Fulham council approved an alternate £10bn plan for the Earls Court area of the land, Chelsea’s ambition to establish a new stadium site at Earls Court was seriously compromised. So, the decision to move on from a location that was once considered the club’s strongest long-term option for a new stadium of the future is a great setback for Chelsea.
Council Approval Changes Earls Court Schedule
The local government backed the massive masterplan of the Earls Court Development Company, which incorporates new residences, retail areas, hospitality zones, and workplaces spread over 44 acres. The developers announced that the scheme will build 4,000 homes and create 12,000 jobs, with the initial works anticipated locally once they have obtained more green lights.
Meanwhile, it is a decision of the Kensington and Chelsea council that comes next. They might make their decision after December 9, before the Mayor of London takes up the baton and reviews the result. The plan includes no provision for a football stadium, which means the situation has diminished Chelsea’s likelihood of getting the site.
Impact on Chelsea’s Stadium Plans
Chelsea would have to come up with a stadium plan that Earls Court will no longer be in the picture. The team may increasingly put energy into the idea of remodelling Stamford Bridge, especially after acquiring 1.9 acres of the neighboring land last year. Doing a full redevelopment means the club will demolish the current ground and find a temporary home, making the move similar to Tottenham’s stint at Wembley during their stadium rebuild.
The club’s management sees the stand-by-stand approach as not feasible, hence, their renovation push is largely for a complete rebuild.
Author Opinion
This defeat makes it necessary for Chelsea to come up with a clearer stadium plan more rapidly. A state-of-the-art Stamford Bridge now seems to be the most plausible future of the club.
As featured on Chelseanews.com