A Selhurst Park redevelopment is underway at Crystal Palace FC, with Croydon Council recently granting permission to the south London club to pursue a Selhurst Park expansion.
In short, this work on a new Selhurst Park stand will bolster the stadium's capacity to over 34,000. The Main Stand is set to receive additional tiers and will house a total of 13,500, more than double its current capacity.
Latest updates on Selhurst Park redevelopment
Plans originally began on the Selhurst Park expansion back in 2018, with work scheduled to start around then and be completed in time for the 2021/22 season.
January 2025 update
A club statement in January 2025 confirms that the redevelopment of Selhurst Park is progressing well. It notes that with the preliminary processes done, the club is now in the final planning phase.
The final phase includes negotiation with the contractors, and the intention is to have the work started by the end of the 2024/25 season. So far, the club has signed a final legal agreement with the local council, which paves the way for the redevelopment of the main stand at Selhurst Park.
During an update in December, the club confirmed they will make minor adjustments to the original design of Selhurst Park, adding that, too, will require getting permission from the council. These adjustments will include Selhurst Park seating layout, parking plans and proposed fanzine. All these are meant to meet new safety guidelines set by Croydon Council.
By building a new stand around the existing structure, the club does not intend to leave Selhurst Park during the redevelopment phase which will see the venue's capacity increased to 34,000. The current sitting capacity of Selhurst Park is 26,000.
Other adjustments to the Crystal Palace stadium will include improving the entrance to the new stand that will be located on the Holmesdale Road corner and refinement of stadium materials.
August 2024 update
However, six years later, the plans have only just been given the final seal of approval, which means work should begin imminently. The final approval for planning permission for the new Main Stand was given by Croydon Council in August 2024.
At the time, Steve Parish said:
“Today’s announcement confirming that we have been granted formal planning permission is yet another positive and exciting milestone in this project. We are making excellent progress on the programme and have committed significant resources to complete the detailed design of the stand and have commenced enabling works this summer.
“We aim to have final plans and costings very soon and at the end of that stage, we will appoint a final construction partner. The redevelopment of Selhurst Park will have a transformational impact on the future of our football club, and we are wholeheartedly committed to it”
A few months earlier, the club confirmed that they would be able to complete the work while still playing matches at Selhurst Park, meaning Crystal Palace won't have to temporarily relocate. Therefore, fans are still able to buy Crystal Palace tickets for matches at Selhurst Park this season.
What will the Selhurst Park new stand look like?
The new Main Stand will have a striking-looking glass frontage, as well as corporate areas and executive boxes. Looking similar internally to the recently completed Main Stand at Anfield, Liverpool, it is no surprise that it is the same firm of architects KSS, who are behind the design.
It has three tiers of seating, with the top tier being semi-circular in appearance. Below this tier and the seating below is a fourth corporate tier of boxes and hospitality areas, which seem essential now for clubs and is probably one of the main drivers for this project.
However, these images have since been removed from the KSS website, meaning there may be a rejigging of plans since the initial proposal in 2017.
Why has the Selhurst Park expansion taken so long?
Part of the hold-up around the Crystal Palace stadium expansion plans was the need for a deal with Sainsbury's. The club had to agree a deal with the nearby supermarket to buy a small piece of land in the car park. This deal was reportedly worth “several million pounds.”
Another key reason for a hold-up was the need to find new homes for residents who will be displaced by the work. This primarily involves residents on Wooderson Close, the houses which will be knocked down to make space for the large new Main Stand. It's reported that this hurdle, too, has now been overcome. Residents have moved out, paving the way for development to begin.
In October 2023, Crystal Palace told The Athletic: “The Selhurst Park redevelopment project is progressing well — we have in place all the peripheral deals that are required for us to start construction and the club is now in a tender process with prospective construction partners. The start date will be subject to further discussions with the various consultants working on the project and our chosen construction partner.”
Crystal Palace seeking £45 million as redevelopment costs soar
The initial budget for this stadium expansion was £100m. Since it was first proposed in 2017, however, costs have dramatically risen, primarily due to inflation, but also the multi-million-pound land deal with Sainsbury's. As a result, the project saw its initial budget raised by fifty per cent to £150 million.
But, the club have once again been faced with financial obstacles and reports now suggest that Parish is looking to raise a further £45 million to fund the redevelopment.
Rather than raise this figure via player sales in the January transfer window, the club instead plan to raise the funds through their majority shareholders. This includes Parish himself, as well as John Textor, Josh Harris and David Blitzer.
Despite the cost of the new stand increasing once again, Parish believes the project will increase the club's revenue by up to £30 million per season once completed and is confident that construction will still be commencing in the summer of 2024.
When will the Crystal Palace stadium expansion be completed?
Work is expected to take more than two years to complete. The final stages of this work would likely require Crystal Palace to play away from home for a couple of months. This shouldn't be an issue. In past seasons, the Premier League has permitted both Liverpool and West Ham United to play the closing games of one season and the opening games of another away from home to allow the completion of work.
It's expected that Palace could have the work completed at some point in the 2026/27 season, but fans will notice work ongoing from next summer, it is thought.