The latest plans for Chelsea’s redevelopment of Stamford Bridge have been published today in a report from the Daily Mail and reveal how the 60,000 seats will be allocated, as well as how long the redevelopment will take.
The biggest talking points from the details submitted by AECOM (the strategic planners behind the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge) are that hospitality seating will more than double while ticket allocation for away supporters will be reduced. Below is a table breaking down how the 18,000 new seats will be distributed amongst the different sections.
In a move that may frustrate general fans, the number of season tickets available to purchase will only increase by 715, which is far less than many were hoping and barely enough to match the demand for seats. The only spectators that will lose seats if the proposed plans go ahead are away supporters. 431 seats will be lost, and travelling fans will be relocated into the upper tier of the Shed End.
The club area seating that the club has proposed will also unlikely appeal to the average fan. Similar to stadiums such as Wembley and The Emirates, the blues want to introduce a tier of pricing that is cheaper than a regular hospitality ticket, but more expensive than general admission. Plans include incentives such as free drinks or match day programmes, but remain unappealing to average supporters.
According to the David Kent of the Daily Mail, AECOM have stated that they hope to begin working on the project as soon as May 2016, and the sheer scale of the development means that the revamp won’t be complete until four years later. The first year would see work involving Fulham Road, with the aim to create direct access between the stadium and the station. Chelsea would have to leave Stamford Bridge for the last three years of the rebuild, as demolition of the two current hotels and the Chelsea Village flats would need to be completed. A temporary venue has yet to be decided, although Wembley Stadium appears to be the first choice for the club.
At this point, the plans are still part of a preliminary stage of the development, with no full application for planning permission yet after the consultation with local stakeholders over the summer. Therefore, these plans are far from final, and subject to change.
