Queens Park Rangers have ambitious plans to leave behind the rather cramped (if somewhat intimidating for the opposition) conditions of Loftus Road with its 18,000 capacity for a 40,000-seater stadium on a site at Old Oak Common. Their master plan is being drawn up by Farrells and Antony Spencer, who was instrumental in identifying land for Arsenal’s new stadium at the Emirates.
Queens Park Rangers have ambitious plans to leave behind the rather cramped (if somewhat intimidating for the opposition) conditions of Loftus Road with its 18,000 capacity for a 40,000-seater stadium on a site at Old Oak Common. Their master plan is being drawn up by Farrells and Antony Spencer, who was instrumental in identifying land for Arsenal’s new stadium at the Emirates.
The plan envisages 100-acre regeneration project to be called New Queens Park. It would involve retail, office and leisure facilities and provide 24,000 homes. The area would be served by an interchange between Crossrail and HS2.
However, the club has hit an obstacle in the form of Cargiant, a car retail company and the biggest landowner on the site. Tony Mendes, managing director of the car retailer, is moving ahead with his own redevelopment plan which envisages 10,000 homes.
He has said that he does not intend to engage with QPR again. He told the Financial Times, ‘They approached us, they were very bullish and aggressive. We are the landowners and we are not going to move.’
According to Mark Donnelly, the club’s chief operating officer, the club has begun buying some land. But he admitted to the Pink ‘Un that the relocation of Cargiant was a ‘critical factor’.