“The local council approved an alternative project for the development of the Earl’s Court area, which does not include the construction of a football arena.”, — write: football.ua
The local council approved an alternative project for the development of the Earl’s Court area, which does not include the construction of a football arena.
Chelsea FC, Getty Images November 27, 2025, 8:20 p.m
As reported The AthleticHammersmith and Fulgham council has approved an alternative development plan for the area, which completely changes the prospects of the London club.
A major development plan for the former Earls Court Exhibition Center was backed by the local council at a meeting on Wednesday. The project, worth 10 billion pounds, involves the construction of residential buildings, retail and office premises, as well as the development of infrastructure.
The 44-acre site could provide around 4,000 new homes and 12,000 jobs, according to Earls Court Development Company (ECDC). ECDC said in a statement that the approval of the first phase paves the way for further collaboration with public and private partners. At the same time, there is no place in the plan for the construction of a football stadium – this is exactly the option that Chelsea previously considered.
Despite the approval, the project is not yet final: the area is partly located in the neighboring district of Kensington and Chelsea, where a separate vote may not take place before December 9. The final decision must also be approved by the Mayor of London.
For Chelsea, the situation is complicated, because the approval of the Earls Court development significantly reduces the club’s chances of getting a site for a new stadium. According to information The Athleticthe two options previously considered were either to demolish Stamford Bridge and build an arena on the same site, or to build a new stadium at Earls Court itself.
If ECDC goes ahead with its project, the club will have to focus on renovating the current arena. Chelsea have already acquired an additional 1.9 acres of land next to Stamford Bridge, increasing the scope for future redevelopment. If the stadium is demolished, the team will have to temporarily play home matches in another arena, following the example of Tottenham, who played at Wembley while the new stadium was being built.