Chelsea may need to find a temporary home owing to Stamford Bridge renovation plans

Chelsea may be forced to play away from the Stamford Bridge for the next three seasons, while their home ground undergoes a huge redevelopment. A report in the Daily Mail contains plans drawn up by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to expand the Bridge and turn it into a 60,000 seater stadium, as the club look to match their domestic and European rivals in generating matchday revenue.

Provisional plans include details about extensive developments to infrastructure inside and outside the Bridge, as well as the demolition of two hotels that are adjacent to the stadium. The Stamford Bridge stadium was built in 1877, although Chelsea only made it their home after their formation in 1905. The current capacity of the stadium stands at 41798, which doesn’t compare very well with most modern stadiums.

The Blues seem to have two options for a temporary stadium while their home gets renovated – Wembley Stadium and Twickenham (Home of English Rugby). Both these stadiums would be suitable due to their high capacity, and proximity to Stamford Bridge.

Images of the plans were also published in the report, and it looks like Roman Abramovich wants to build a lavish stadium that would be very different from most modern stadiums. The ambitious project has no estimated cost at this early stage, although it is likely to be well in excess of £500million.

It is being financed by the Russian billionaire, who is conducting it as a separate entity that is being run by his staff who are not a part of Chelsea Football Club. The plans were put forward after the club failed in their search to find another venue for a ground expansion over the past few years.

Building the new stadium will be a cause of some inconvenience to the locals, but the neighbourhood will reap the benefits in the long run. There will long-planned pedestrian walkways with clearly defined boundaries above the railway lines, and seat reservation, among many other benefits for the locals residents.

A three-day public consultation will be staged at the Stamford Bridge starting Tuesday, where Abramovich will outline his vision for the future of the Premier League Champions. Abramovich wants to pay homage to the club’s history at their only venue since their formation, so the exhibition will give the local residents and Chelsea fans a glimpse of his blueprint for a rebuilt 60,000 seater stadium.