Selhurst Park expansion still at least a year away from starting

Crystal Palace Football Club say it will be at least another year until an expansion of Selhurst Park gets underway. The club has still not bought up six council houses – a vital step in refurbishing the stadium.

The plans were given the green light by Croydon Council back in 2018 and it will see the main stand rebuilt – increasing capacity from almost 26,000 to around 34,000.

In November 2020, a Section 106 agreement was approved by the council which sets out how the community will benefit from the refurbishment. This includes £330,000 for a new controlled parking zone (CPZ) and £100,000 for new cycle lanes.

But before building work on the revamp can start the club needs to buy up six council houses in Wooderson Close and residents need to be given 12 months notice. Despite being approved, the Section 106 notice still needs to be signed off before the Eagles can start the process of buying up the houses.

The club also has to buy a small piece of land from the Sainsbury’s shop next door to the ground.

Palace chairman Steve Parish previously said the club were buying a “small sliver of land from Sainsbury’s” which borders the stadium.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said, “We are actively engaged with the owners of Crystal Palace FC. We’re listening to their concerns and have shared a proposal which we believe presents a favourable and logical way forward.

“We have always been happy to progress the sale of the land at a fair market value.”