Chelsea have suffered a blow to their hopes of building a new stadium at Earl's Court following a key decision by a local council.
Chelsea's owners, BlueCo, had earmarked Earl's Court as a viable site to build a new ground if they decided to move away from their current Stamford Bridge home.
However, according to The Athletic, the challenge of building a stadium at the site has become much tougher following Hammersmith and Fulham council's decision to approve proposals for a development at the old Earls Court Exhibition Centre.
The plans, which are led by the Earls Court Development Company (ECDC), will see the space used for new houses, workplaces, retail and hospitality.
The report states that the Kensington and Chelsea council still need to vote on the proposals, while the ECDC could also encounter other stumbling blocks in their efforts to build on the land.
Chelsea could focus on Stamford Bridge redevelopment
The latest development represents a significant step in preventing Todd Beohly and his BlueCo colleagues from building a new stadium on the site, which will reduce the club's options in regard to a new ground.
As a result, Chelsea may have to start focusing on plans to redevelop Stamford Bridge. The club have prepared for this scenario by purchasing land next to their current home.
The downside of staying at Stamford Bridge is that Chelsea will have to move elsewhere while the work takes place. Earlier this year, Rugby Football Union chief Bill Sweeney said that Twickenham would be willing to host Chelsea, although they could face opposition from the local council.
FGG says: Expansion remains the aim
While Chelsea may be performing on the field, they will be wary of falling behind some of their Premier League rivals off the pitch.
The Blues saw their London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, move into a state-of-the-art ground six years ago, while Everton are enjoying their new surroundings at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Chelsea hierarchy will be aware that they could miss out on additional revenue opportunities, like hosting non-football events, if they fail to significantly upgrade Stamford Bridge or move to a new site.
Chelsea's main priority should be expanding that capacity, whether that is at their current home or a new one. Stamford Bridge currently holds just over 40,000, which is not enough for a team that is competing at the top end of the Premier League and has ambitions of challenging in the Champions League.