Chelsea offered fresh hope in bid to build 60,000-seater stadium with invite to new Bridge



Chelsea dream of relocating to a new 60,000-seat stadium in Earl's Court is back on the cards as they are now expected to be invited to bid for a 17-acre plot in the area that is scheduled to be put up for sale at the end of this year.

The site, called Lillie Bridge, is owned by Transport for London (Tfl) and currently used as a railway depot. It was expected to be included in a 77-acre redevelopment of the wider area, called Earl's Court Masterplan, but TfL have now revealed to The Mail on Sunday that a sale to Masterplan developers Capco 'was not on the table' and that any sale would be on the open market.

On the move: Chelsea could make switch from Stamford Bridge (top) to Lillie Bridge (bottom)



TfL have embarked on a feasibility study of the site, which is likely to be finished at the end of the year, and insist they will 'consider every possibility'. A bidding war between Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Capco for Lillie Bridge is possible, in which case Abramovich's desire to move, understood to be strong, is the only factor that will matter.

It is unclear whether discussions between Abramovich and TfL have already taken place. The site would fetch an estimated £200million, but TfL are also considering whether to retain the freehold and sell a long-term lease. Should Chelsea move, they would recoup substantial sums from the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge as it sits in one of London's most exclusive areas.



Grand designs: Chelsea want a stadium to rival Arsenal's Emirates Stadium and Man United's Old Trafford



Acquiring Lillie Bridge would enable the club to build a 60,000-seat stadium to boost their matchday revenues and compete with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal. Arsenal's Emirates Stadium also sits on a 17-acre site. Stamford Bridge has a capacity of 41,000 and the club have estimated it would cost £600m to construct a bigger stadium on the 13-acre site, which is hemmed in by railway lines and residential property.

A major obstacle for the Chelsea move is that Hammersmith and Fulham Council would be required to grant planning permission for a new stadium. A statement from the council earlier this year said Chelsea had 'no place' at Earl's Court.

But Chelsea believe they have the support of London mayor Boris Johnson, who could overrule the council and also sits on the TfL board of directors as chairman.



