Chelsea's
plans for a state-of-the-art £500m stadium at Stamford Bridge have been
given the green light by the Mayor of London.
The new stadium will see Chelsea increase their capacity from 41,600 to
60,000 and include a direct link to the District Line underground station at
Fulham Broadway.
It was designed by architects Herzog and de Meuron, who were also
responsible for the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing and Bayern
Munich's Allianz Arena.
The stadium could be completed in time for the 2021-22 season, meaning
Chelsea will have to find a temporary home for up to three years.
Wembley has been mooted as a possible interim home ground, although
Tottenham will be playing there next season while work on their new White
Hart Lane home is finished.
Chelsea's application also includes a £12m investment in community
activities including employment and skills training, and a contribution of
£3.75m towards affordable housing in the borough.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said: "London is one of the world's greatest
sporting cities and I am delighted that we will soon add Chelsea's new
stadium to the fantastic array of arenas in the capital.
"Having taken a balanced view of the application I am satisfied this is a
high-quality and spectacular design which will significantly increase
capacity within the existing site, as well as ensuring fans can have easy
access from nearby transport connections.
"I am confident this new stadium will be a jewel in London's sporting crown
and will attract visitors and football fans from around the world."
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