Chelsea have not made a final decision on their redevelopment plans for Stamford Bridge despite agreeing a deal in principle to buy a piece of land next to their stadium.
Winning the race to buy a 1.2-acre site belonging to Stoll, a provider of supported housing for veterans, will reduce the chances of Chelsea having to find a new home. Building one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country has been a key concern for the owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, and the path forward has become a little clearer after Stoll’s board of trustees approved the sale of the majority of its Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions site, subject to further consultation with residents.
However sources close to the process have stressed that Chelsea buying the land will not automatically mean they build a new state-of-the-art ground at Stamford Bridge. All options remain on the table and the club have not ruled out a move.
It is understood that Chelsea view moving to Earl’s Court as an attractive proposition if they are unable to find a way to stay put. Any move would depend on the club receiving backing from the Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the freehold of Stamford Bridge stadium and the name Chelsea FC, and that would require significant negotiation.
The significance of buying the Stoll site is that it will give Chelsea flexibility as the hierarchy considers the best way forward. Stamford Bridge’s capacity of 40,341 is at the smaller end in the Premier League but a rebuild is not straightforward. The current site offers little room for manoeuvre and the stadium sitting next to a tube line is a major complication.
Buying the land owned by Stoll is essential for Chelsea if they are to knock down Stamford Bridge and go ahead with a major expansion. Doing so will give them more room for a rebuild, which is why they cannot afford for another developer to win the bidding process. Stoll received 13 bids and the consultation with residents will run for nine weeks, with a final decision due in the autumn. Under the proposed plans Stoll will retain 20 flats on the Fulham site.
Chelsea will be left with three options as they consider how to increase their attendance and bring in more matchday revenue: a complete rebuild of Stamford Bridge, a stand-by-stand redevelopment or a move to a new site. The project is being overseen by Jonathan Goldstein, a board member, and Janet Marie Smith, the executive vice president of planning and development for the LA Dodgers.
It is understood that a stand-by-stand rebuild is viewed as the least attractive option. It is felt the project would take too long and would be an unnecessary compromise. The sense is that Chelsea would gain little from going down that route and would not end up with a world-class stadium. They do not have the space to minimise disruption to supporters by building new stands behind existing ones.
The favoured option for supporters would be for Chelsea to demolish Stamford Bridge, rebuild and stay in SW6. It is estimated that would take at least five years, meaning Chelsea would need to play in a temporary home. Tottenham spent two years at Wembley while constructing their new ground, which has a capacity of 62,850.
If the sale of the Stoll mansions goes ahead, the charity will look to establish new properties for veterans with support needs who would benefit from improved facilities and broader services and enhance its community outreach programmes.
Stoll consulted residents over the site last year and have spent the past six months reviewing bids. “The board assessed many factors, and concluded that the Chelsea FC ownership group offered the strongest bid in terms of how it would support Stoll and our residents during the process, its financial offer which would secure the future sustainability of the organisation and its understanding of the charity and the importance of continuing to have a positive impact on veterans’ lives for generations to come,” Ray Lock, the chair of the trustees, said.
A spokesperson from Earls Court Development Company said: “We have recently launched a draft masterplan for a transformative mixed use scheme to bring the wonder back to Earls Court, which will see 4,500 homes, 15,000 jobs, acres of public space and cultural facilities in an ambitious zero carbon development. There is no football stadium in our masterplan.”
