Tottenham Hotspur are close to securing a deal to play all their home matches at Wembley in the 2017-18 season. They are also negotiating with the FA about holding Champions League matches at Wembley next season as they may need to remove 8,000 seats from White Hart Lane to facilitate inittial building work.
Chelsea may have to delay their proposed move to Wembley by 12 months. Spurs have indicated that they are willing to share Wembley with Chelsea for one season, but Chelsea would prefer exclusive use.
Tottenham Hotspur are close to securing a deal to play all their home matches at Wembley in the 2017-18 season. They are also negotiating with the FA about holding Champions League matches at Wembley next season as they may need to remove 8,000 seats from White Hart Lane to facilitate inittial building work.
Chelsea may have to delay their proposed move to Wembley by 12 months. Spurs have indicated that they are willing to share Wembley with Chelsea for one season, but Chelsea would prefer exclusive use.
Chelsea submitted a planning application for the construction of a 60,000 seat stadium last December, but Hammersmith and Fulham Council are understood to regard it as a complex case and consent is not guaranteed. There are a number of unresolved issues relating to rail and road access.
Even if planning permission is granted later this summer as Chelsea hope, the club may also have to gain secondary consent from other interested parties such as Transport for London and Thames Water. Tottenham’s plans took six years to approve after a public inquiry and a compulsory purchase order.
There is growing acceptance at Chelsea that the timetableis very tight if they are to move out by next summer. The club have allowed a three or four year period for the project so the stadium could still be ready for the 2021-2022 season even if it is delayed by 12 months.