Chelsea FC’s design team are reported to be looking to progress the paused Stamford Bridge redevelopment project by cutting costs or finding an alternative site.
New Civil Engineer says that alternative sites are now being looked at, and cost reductions of the order of £500m being sought. The club have previously been linked with moves to Earls Court, Old oak, and Battersea Power Station.
The club has planning permission for a 60,000 seat Herzog & de Meuron-designed stadium (pictured), and it is understood their preferred option is to remain at the current Stamford Bridge site. Progress was paused in 2018 when costs rose and owner Roman Abramovich had issues getting a visa to enter the United Kingdom.
Despite the reports, it is understood that the stadium project is still completely on hold with no time frame set for a reconsideration of this position.
Under the plan, the existing 41,600-seater stadium would be demolished to make way for the construction of the new 60,000 capacity football stadium and an ancillary stadium. The 6.2ha site is bounded by London Underground’s District line to the north-west, and the Southern mainline railway to the east. Currently, these lines are in open air cuttings, but to increase the capacity of the stadium, decks would be built over the top of the lines to allow the footprint of the stadium to be increased.
Planning permission for the stadium was granted by London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Hammersmith & Fulham Council in January 2017.
