Crystal Palace have announced plans to redevelop Selhurst Park and increase the stadium’s capacity from 26,000 to over 34,000.

Chairman Steve Parish confirmed the redevelopment of the 93-year-old stadium could cost between £75m-£100m and the club intend to submit a planning application to Croydon Council in January in the hope work can begin in the next 12 months.

Plans include a new five-storey stand featuring an all-glass front with the Eagle crest which will see the capacity increase in the stand from around 5,400 to 13,500, with more than 10,700 of those General Admission seats.

The redesign will also see an increased pitch size to comply with UEFA regulations, improved infrastructure for supporters with disabilities and upgraded hospitality and entertainment facilities including a new Tunnel Club.

The project, which is estimated to take up to three years to complete, is being designed by architects KSS, the firm behind the redevelopment of sporting venues such as Anfield, Twickenham and Wimbledon.

Parish said: "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.

"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."

The roof of the new stand will be designed to funnel sound down to the pitch and the Arthur Wait Stand opposite with other key features of the redevelopment seeing a new museum, improved sightlines in the Arthur Wait Stand and renovation of the upper Whitehorse Lane Boxes.

"Our brief was to create an impressive sense of arrival and an experience the fans can be proud of, retaining the special atmosphere at one of the best grounds in the country," said director of architects at KSS, Nick Marshall.

"It's already one of the best places to watch football and we certainly don't want to ruin that, it has to be driven by the fan experience. There's going to be a great relationship between the new stand and the Arthur Wait stand, which is going to work fantastically.

"It's a very exciting project and we are privileged to be working on it with Crystal Palace."

Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson, who was present at the unveiling of the club's plans, has said the redevelopment of the stadium will have an impact that will "last for years and years", in comparison with player arrivals.

Hodgson told Sky Sports News: "I have been in football a long time and I realise sometimes the money you spend on football players doesn't always give you the value for money that you would like.

"Whereas, the money you spend on your training ground, in improving facilities at your stadium, in particular if you can create a new one, (then) that is going to last for years and years.

"Fortunes are always going to fluctuate and unfortunately we all know or should know that spending a lot of money in the transfer window is (not always) going to change your fortunes.

"It might be that you are more deep seated than that. A couple of new players, who come in for an awful lot of money, might not change a thing at all."

 

Source: skysports.com

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