Hope springs eternal over new Chelsea stadium

Chelsea still believe there is a chance of them building a new stadium at Earls Court, even though an alternative plan for the land has been approved by both councils involved.

The Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) is now close to receiving full planning permission for a mixed-use development on the same land that had been mooted as a potential site for a new stadium for Chelsea.

However, club sources, on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly, have indicated to the  New York Times that they are still considering all options for the future of their stadium — including a new ground at Earls Court.

The future of Chelsea’s stadium is not a new debate. Under previous owner Roman Abramovich, the club submitted an offer for the Battersea Power Station site in 2012, in which they proposed to build a 60,000-capacity ground, but a Malaysian consortium purchased the site instead. In 2017, Chelsea secured planning permission for a 60,000-seat stadium on the site of Stamford Bridge, but the project was put on hold in 2018 after Abramovich was not issued a new UK visa. Any new plans to redevelop Stamford Bridge would need new planning permission.

Since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took control of Chelsea in 2022, they have been determined to push Chelsea’s stadium plans forward, but it has not progressed too much so far. There is a debate between building a new stadium on the existing Stamford Bridge site or moving to a new site — hence why nearby Earls Court is under consideration.

Building on a different site, such as Earls Court, would allow Chelsea to continue playing at Stamford Bridge during construction, and the larger plot of land would allow potential for further development around it. However, Chelsea do not own the land at Earls Court. A move away from Stamford Bridge would also need approval from Chelsea Pitch Owners, the supporter group that owns the freehold to the land Stamford Bridge stands on.

Chelsea sources speaking to The Athletic on condition of anonymity say the club have not ruled out building a stadium at Earls Court. The view is that this planning permission does not necessarily translate to the ECDC project going ahead.

One source indicated that a stadium could be added to the ECDC’s development plans, as it would only take up around one-third of the land. Those with knowledge of the planning process have told The Athletic that adding a stadium would be a big enough change that a new planning application would need to be made and go through the process from the beginning.

However, a proposal including a world-class stadium would likely have little problem getting approval relatively quickly, as it would involve massive private-sector investment and create benefits for the community.

I understand Chelsea's dilemma and wish them well, but I remain unconvinced about the viability of the Earls Court option.