RESIDENTS living near Chelsea’s training ground have voiced their strong opposition to “obscene” expansion plans.
The club asked for permission to build a boutique housing estate in Stoke D’Abernon, Surrey – but those plans have now been rejected by the council.
Locals feared the development would see their house prices soar, trigger traffic chaos and ruin their leafy suburb.
Chelsea have no current official plans to expand the ground – but that hasn’t stopped residents from worrying.
Another local amenity is threatened for the benefit of Chelsea Football club
Anonymous resident
Local Angela Johnstone, 65, said: “The knock on effect of all of it isn’t good.
“They take us as a job lot. Everything in this area goes up accordingly, they all think we are married to Chelsea footballers and we are not.
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“They think we are being paid megabucks, the ordinary person feels a bit left out. The traffic is already horrendous.
“We are trying to keep housing in this area down because the traffic is already horrendous. You need to ask Elmbridge Borough Council what they class as affordable housing, who they think can afford their affordable housing because it is still extortionate.
“Neither of my sons would have a hope in buying anywhere around here. The youngsters are moving out because the area is getting too expensive for them.”
The application, put forward in November 2022 and terminated by Elmbridge Borough Council, was for six new homes – a one bed, two bed, three three beds and one four bed home on the other side of Stoke Road to the training ground.
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Four “unsightly” low-rise stables would need to have been demolished and three Grade II listed Victorian-era barns gutted and “sensitively” turned into homes, a Planning, Design and Access Statement said.
Some locals were fearful about the lack of affordable housing in the area – with homes in the village averaging a staggering £1,247,917, according to figures from RightMove.
Sally Judd, who works at a laundrette on Cobham High Street, said: “The village has gone downhill. People have bought their houses on the council estates but being Cobham, the pricing of the houses have gone up so much.
“My daughter is 33 years old and still lives with me, with a child, in a two bed flat. She can’t even get on the council housing list.
“The price of everything in Cobham has gone up now. They keep saying about affordable housing but nothing is affordable around here.”
Another resident fumed “another local amenity is threatened for the benefit of Chelsea Football club” in one of dozens of objections to the homes.
Maureen Christmas, 75, who lives a street over from the Chelsea training ground, added: “There are so many houses around here now, it’s so built up.
“I’ve noticed how crowded the roads are here. If it’s these great big mansions that only millionaires can afford to live in, no, I’m absolutely against it.
“The roads are jammed with cars coming too and from, the roads are covered with parked cars.”
Mr McWaed, who’s lived in Cobham for decades, was also worried about traffic chaos.
Chelsea cleared by Premier League after controversial £76.5m sale of two hotels to sister company
IN September, Chelsea was cleared by the Premier League following an investigation into the sale of two hotels to help them comply with profit and sustainability rules.
Company accounts in April showed that the Millennium and Copthorne hotels next to Stamford Bridge had been sold for £76.5million.
Clubs are allowed to lose up to £105m over a three-year period under PSR rules.
The sales of the hotels helped the Blues avoid a potential loss of £166.4m loss, instead reducing the figure to an allowable £89.9m for the financial year.
The hotels changed hands from Chelsea FC Holdings Ltd to BlueCo 22 Properties Ltd, both companies under the control of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital ownership.
However, the sales have now been ratified by the Premier League under a “fair market valuation” relating to the league’s associated-party transaction rule.
It is unclear whether the £76.5m figure has changed.
Chelsea maintained confidence that they were within compliance of PSR rules, with certain costs for infrastructure, academy and women’s football allowed to be deducted.
Such transactions are not allowed in Uefa competitions or the English Football League, who closed the loophole in 2021.
He explained the area was already struggling with congestion due to a combination of major roadworks on the M25, A3 and more newbuilds across Surrey.
‘THIS TOWN CENTRE IS THRIVING’
Despite backlash over Chelsea’s now rejected plans, not all locals were opposed to the idea of expansion.
Russell Benzies, 65, hailed the club and claimed it had a positive impact on Cobham.
He added: “Since Chelsea has moved in, I can’t see any damage they have done. Cobham employs 150 people.
“Chelsea are developing the area, of course, if you live around the ground, you probably aren’t going to be happy, you’ll be a bit worried.
“In the 25 years I have lived here there has been a lot of development and obviously you’re concerned, the build-up of traffic, but this town centre is thriving.
“There’s lots of things that impact the house prices here more than Chelsea.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea believed the now axed development would “make a valuable contribution of housing” to the area.
The west London side, whose last trophy was the Champions League in 2021, was acquired by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022.
When contacted by The Sun for comment, a spokesperson for Elmbridge Borough Council reiterated its reasons for terminating the stable yard plans.
They said: “It was ‘disposed of’. This means no decision was made and it is taken off the planning register.
“This is where an application has been with the council for a long period without being determined and is beyond the period where the application can be appealed for non-determination.
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“The applicant was given a number of opportunities to address issues with the application with no response.”
Chelsea Football Club and Clearlake Capital declined to comment.
Life near Chelsea’s Surrey training grounds
THOSE living near Chelsea FC’s Surrey training grounds, dubbed the “Beverly Hills of Britain”, have told how they rub shoulders with Premier League footballers and Hollywood actors.
Homeowners in the sleepy villages of Oxshott and Cobham spot stars, flanked by 24/7 security, on the daily.
Peter Crouch, Jorginho and Raheem Sterling are just some of the players calling the Surrey area home, along with former Hollywood veterans Stanley Tucci and Antonio Banderas.
Tree lined roads and protective gates give privacy to the mansions worth millions of pounds.
Oxshott has just a few shops, including a luxury coffee house and a fancy butchers – with owners spotting blacked-out Bentleys and Jaguars cruising past.
In nearby Cobham, the high street is filled with pilates studios and juice bars.
Local butcher Joe Harrington, 21, who grew up in the area, regularly sees flash cars and recognisable faces from behind the counter.
He said: “We see a lot of football players hanging about, and their friends and family.
“We get a couple in the shop, but people usually pop in on their behalf, we don’t see them directly every time.
“There are a few big names and faces hanging about, someone came in the other day who had seen Raheem Sterling at the petrol station down there.
“You see a load of faces pulling out of the training ground over the years, I remember seeing Jorginho pull out in a red Ferrari.
“It’s full of them round here, everyone’s got big four by fours, Bentleys, any BMWs, Audis, Jaguars.
“I did some landscaping jobs and there are some massive houses.”
Many Chelsea players are regulars at Cobham restaurant Grappelli, an Italian in the centre of the village.
Manager Eddie Alves, 36, said Jorginho came particularly often, adding: “We even became good friends, we went out together, my kids are friends with his kids, he is an amazing guy.
“He even did a charity event here with us, celebrated his birthday here with us, so I love all of them, but I have a special attention for Jorginho.
“He is an unbelievable guy, he is number 1 for me.”
He said Ashley Cole, John Terry and Robert Sanchez – as well as former players Roberto di Matteo, Jimmy Hasselbank, Glen Johnson and Peter Crouch – also dined there a lot.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
