Chelsea register interest in 1.2 acre plot near Stamford Bridge for possible expansion

Chelsea appear to have taken an important step in their much-delayed plans for a £1billion revamp of Stamford Bridge.

The club, who faced several obstacles in their previous attempt under Roman Abramovich to rebuild the stadium, have registered an interest in acquiring a crucial £50million site next to the ground.

Housing association Stoll, which provides 157 supported homes for armed services veterans, placed the majority of its two-acre site up for sale this week. Chelsea are eager to snap up the land as their expansion plans are hampered by Stamford Bridge being tightly hemmed in by buildings and railway lines.

Chelsea have expressed interest in buying a £50m site next to Stamford Bridge

A graphic from the Mail on Sunday, shows the land that the club are looking to purchase

However, Todd Boehly could face a bidding war to secure the 1.2 acre land on Fulham Road

It is understood the club could snap up 60 per cent of Stoll’s land — the equivalent of 1.2 acres — following a five-month consultation with residents, while the association will reduce its capacity to ‘at least 50 new flats’.

But Todd Boehly, the new Chelsea owner, could face a bidding war for the Fulham Road site. The Mail on Sunday has seen drawings detailing how the site could look if property developers acquired the site to build apartments.

A cut-off date for bids has been set for the beginning of December and an announcement of the buyer is due before the end of the year.

Chelsea’s relationship with the association sparked controversy in 2018 when we revealed former owner Abramovich made a secret payment to Stoll thought to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. The charity then kept nearly 30 of its flats empty instead of providing homes for vulnerable former soldiers, a move which it is believed would have smoothed Abramovich’s plans for a new stadium.

Stoll dropped its objections to the stadium, with fewer former troops living there to complain about the project.

It could form the base of Chelsea’s planned £1bn development of Stamford bridge

At the time Chelsea said: ‘The club has supported our long-term neighbour Stoll for many years. Our support is appropriately private.’ Abramovich and Stoll eventually agreed a £50m sale for part of the site before the deal collapsed as the Russian’s plans for a £1billion stadium were shelved.

Boehly intends to upgrade and replace the Stamford Bridge stands one by one. That could also see the hotel at the Shed End bulldozed.

The American has hired architect Janet Marie Smith, who helped renovate Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, to make recommendations. The club are not expected to release designs before the season ends.