Brentford Football Club submits planning application for new stadium

Brentford Football Club’s plan to develop a new home for the club reached another milestone on Friday May 31 when it submitted its planning application to Hounslow Council.

The application seeks:

  • detailed permission for the 20,000 capacity stadium which in turn will secure the long term sustainability of Brentford Football Club and
  • provide a new home for the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust charity and its Learning Zone, and outline permission for up to 910 apartments within a new masterplan to revitalise this part of Brentford

In recent months, the Club has held many consultation events and listened to a wide range of comments. The planning application is for a scheme which incorporates changes from that shown at the second public exhibition in March.

As a result of feedback from the public the Club decided to reduce the height of the residential development and ask the Club’s owner, Matthew Benham, to underwrite a larger funding gap in order for the scheme to go ahead.

Key elements of the application are on show to the public for two days at the Fountain Leisure Centre. The plans will be on show and members of the development team on hand to answer local residents’ questions, on:

Dates: Friday May 31 2.30pm – 6.30pm or Saturday 1st June 10.30am-1.30pm
Venue: Fountain Leisure Centre, Chiswick High Road

The Chairman of Brentford Football Club, Greg Dyke, commenting before he steps down to become Chairman of the Football Association said:

“Brentford has been looking to move to a new stadium for 15 years.

“The site at Lionel Road was identified as the ideal location more than 10 years ago.

“After all the hard work we are extremely proud to submit this bold and exciting planning application now.

“It is clear that the Club cannot prosper in the obsolete facilities at Griffin Park.

“In the past few months we have twice sold–out to capacity crowds of over 12,000 and came within a whisker, a penalty kick and then a play-off final, of promotion to the Championship, where average crowds are over 17,000.

“In addition, the award winning community work for which Brentford is known nationally will be able to expand at the new stadium.

“We have listened to the comments from local residents, Bees supporters and a wide range of organisations and come up with a scheme that will have many benefits.

“The proposals in this planning application will be good for the Club, good for community sport and education and good for Brentford, the Borough of Hounslow and west London.”