Chelsea have submitted a plea to their local council to get around a roadblock which is threatening to derail their £1billion redevelopment of Stamford Bridge.

The owners of two properties which neighbour Chelsea's ground have launched a High Court injunction to stop the construction of the new 60,000-seater stadium, saying it would block out their sunlight.

At Chelsea's request, Hammersmith and Fulham Council will look to enforce compulsory purchase powers to bypass the issue next week, without which there is 'a very real risk that the stadium would not be redeveloped'.

Chelsea face a High Court injunction which threatens to stop their stadium redevelopment

Chelsea hope to expand Stamford Bridge into a 60,000-seater stadium in time for 2024

A plan showing the area of Network Rail land within which air rights will be acquired (greyed area) and the area of CFC land within which air rights will be acquired (hatched area)

Chelsea have already obtained planning permission and a go-ahead from London mayor Sadiq Khan for the project and have been agreeing deals with locals over their rights of light.

But despite offering a settlement over the market rate for their rights, Chelsea have been unable to reach an agreement with the owners of 1-2 Stamford Cottages – two residential homes a four-minute walk from the ground.

Under English law, a 'right to light' gives a landowner the right to receive light through defined openings or gaps in buildings on his or her land.

Chelsea have told the council they will be unable to start development work or secure financing while there remains a risk that the injunction proceedings could succeed.

Therefore the council plan to use their powers under planning law to buy the air rights over part of Stamford Bridge and the railway line which sits between the stadium and the affected homes.

They would then lease the land back to Chelsea and railway operators Network Rail, meaning the property owners would be entitled to compensation but would not be able to prevent the redevelopment.

The issue concerns properties at 1-2 Stamford Cottages, across the railway lines to the east

A decision will be taken at a council cabinet meeting next week.

But solicitors acting on behalf of the properties' owners say they will 'take all legal action available to them' if the council decide to acquire an interest in the land for planning purposes.

Fifty local properties were identified as being affected by the rights to light issue and Chelsea expect to agree terms with the other 48 – with over 60 per cent already sorted.

Chelsea have also agreed to buy 36 of the 38 long leaseholds at the Chelsea Village Court apartments that back on to the ground and will be demolished in the redevelopment.

Talks with Network Rail and Transport for London, aimed at sorting out issues linked to building over the adjacent railway lines, are also going well.

Images show what Chelsea's redeveloped version of Stamford Bridge is set to look like

In November, Sportsmail revealed how Chelsea were looking at a 2024 move-in date for the new Stamford Bridge with four years at an as-yet-undecided temporary home beginning in two years' time.

The Premier League champions have sought advice from London rivals Tottenham over their stint at Wembley, which could be a potential destination.

In a summary of Chelsea's annual financial results, released last month, the £14.2million loss of the club's parent company Fordstam Limited was blamed 'largely on new stadium planning costs'.

Chelsea are yet to make a decision on how the new stadium will be financed but they are expected to sell its naming rights.