March 21 – English Championship club Brentford are targeting a December 2019 move into their new West London stadium, according to club chairman Cliff Crown. Ground breaking has just begun on the site for the 17,250 capacity venue, with building work starting next month in what is expected to be an 18-month construction timeline.
The site, near Kew Bridge, will be part of one of London’s biggest mixed-use developments. The build, being carried out by Willmott Dixon, is cross-funded by the construction of almost 1,000 new home across two sites.
The scheme will have community and retail facilities. The club’s old ground, Griffin Park, about a mile from the new site, has planning permission to build 75 two, three, four, and five-bedroom family houses for private sale, including a memorial garden to celebrate the history of the football ground.
Branded Prime Place, Kew Bridge, the homes by the new ground, according to Willmott Dixon, “will be in a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments and will offer high quality hotel-style living with facilities including a concierge service, private lounge/library and dining room, cinema, gym, and private landscaped gardens.
“Substantial improvements to the public realm will include extensive landscaping and greenery across the site, new pedestrian and cycle routes – including dedicated and widened routes along Lionel Road South – retail outlets and on-site car and cycle parking.”
Griffin Park has a capacity of 12,763 and just 50 premium seats, the new stadium will be able to accommodate 2,000 people in more expensive seats. The new stadium is predicted to boost the average home attendance from 10,000 to around 15,000, and increase club’s turnover by 50%.
The new stadium and increased revenue potential are all part of Brentford’s ambition to move the club upwards and in to the Premier League. While somewhat in the shade of its west London neighbours Chelsea and QPR, the club has steadily solidified its Championship credentials, finishing 5th, 9th and 10th in the past three campaigns. They are currently 11th, seven points adrift of the Premier League play-off places with eight matches remaining.
Brentford will not need to leave Griffin Park before the new stadium is complete, but will just switch over once it is ready. Premiership rugby union club London Irish have been granted permission to ground share, moving them back into London and closer to their more natural support base.
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