Queens Park Rangers are continuing to work on their hoped-for plan of a move to Wormwood Scrubs. They have said they want to stay in Hammersmith & Fulham, and that the only potential location they can identify is the Linford Christie Stadium.
The club have said that their current Loftus Road stadium in Shepherds Bush is “unsustainable“, and cannot give them the platform they want for the future. They have previously looked at a site in Old Oak, but are now focussed on Wormwood Scrubs.
QPR have published a report on their website which suggests there would be considerable economic benefit to the borough of a move for the football club to the Linford Christie Stadium. They talk about creating 1200 jobs and an additional £60m a year generated in the local economy with such a move, coupled with the residential redevelopment of their current White City home. The report suggests they would propose a new 30,000 seat stadium along with around 500 homes – a c£400m investment on their part.
However, responding to the publication of Queens Park Rangers’ economic impact report, the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham said:
“QPR’s proposals are less about keeping football in the borough – and much more about them playing property developer in White City.
“Linford Christie Stadium is a vital community asset in an open green space. We want to protect and enhance its use for the environment, athletics, recreation and the long-term benefit of all our residents. We will consult residents early next year about how we can best achieve this.
“The Council is very proud to have QPR in our borough and has long made it clear to their owners and executive team that we will go out of our way to help QPR improve their current stadium or will work with them to look at other alternatives. However, we cannot just give away land for free or hand land to QPR’s owners well below its potential value – and just because QPR’s owners have decided to campaign for the council to do that. We believe QPR deserves to be invested in and call on its owners to do just that.
“We’d be interested in discussing with QPR’s owners the idea that they give up some ownership of the club to ensure the community and QPR’s fans have a greater voice in the club’s future.”
