Chelsea Hope For Stanford Bridge Extension
2014/15 Premier League winners Chelsea have asked the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham if they could have a stadium refurbishment. The application will involve the 41,600 seats already inside to be demolished and instead make an extra 18,400 seats will would make a total of a 60,000 seat stadium to be made. The council have set a deadline for comments on the application of Friday, 8 January 2016. The club have said the planning could finish beyond the end of this season. The club states that this refurbishment will result in a better atmosphere for the home crowd. The new stadium will see high quality facilities in every area of the stadium and from every angle there will apparently be an "outstanding view designed to create a ecstatic atmosphere."
An image of Stamford Bridge when it was being re-developed in the 1990's
The newer and more improved stadium involves excavation works and the construction of new external concourse areas, including the formation of decking platforms over part of the District Line and part of the Southern mainline railway. This however, might be an issue for Chelsea because if this plan was to go ahead it would cost quite a lot of wonga. It's current capacity of 42,000 is a lot smaller than a lot of there rival clubs Arsenal Manchester United and Manchester City all have stadiums which have a capacity of at least 60,000 a lot more than their capacity right now. Chelsea's chairman Roman Abramovich had initially considered moving home grounds altogether because back in 2010 the council weren't considering any bids. The blues sticked with Stanford Bridge since they were rejected an iconic new stadium at the Battersea Power Station in London. They would of carried on looking for another home ground until planning was finally accepted by the Hammersmith and Fulham council a few days ago.
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