CRYSTAL PALACE HAVE this afternoon unveiled plans for a major redevelopment of the club’s Selhurst Park home, which will see the capacity of the ground increase to more than 34,000.
The Premier League club will submit plans to Croydon Council in January and, subject to planning permission being granted, work will begin in the next 12 months at a cost of up to €100 million.
Crystal Palace say the ambitious project ‘is to create a new Selhurst Park for the modern era’ with the centrepiece of the redevelopment being a five-storey stand featuring an all-glass front.
Once work commences, the project is expected to take three years to complete with the main stand remaining in full operational use throughout the building process, minimising the impact on the stadium’s capacity over the coming seasons.
As well as an increased capacity, the redevelopment will also include the addition of further premium hospitality and entertainment facilities, a club museum and community facilities. The pitch will also be extended, making the playing surface compliant with Uefa regulations.
“We need a stadium that reflects who we are, how far we have come and where we want to go – a stadium that South London can be proud of, a home worthy of our incredible support and unique atmosphere and this great Premier League we represent,” Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish said.
“We have worked long and hard and looked at several options over the years, including returning to the original site of Crystal Palace, which wasn’t viable. While we can’t go back to it, we can build a new one and today I am proud, in conjunction with our partners KSS, to introduce a new Selhurst Park with a new Crystal Palace for a new era.
“We are creating a new home worthy of our Club, our supporters and our community, and a celebration of our 112 years in South London.”
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
