Crystal Palace forced to delay Selhurst Park summer redevelopment plans

Crystal Palace are unlikely to start work on the redevelopment of Selhurst Park this summer.

Palace have been given planning permission by Croydon Council to build a new Main Stand, which will increase the capacity of Selhurst Park from to 26,000 to more than 34,000.

The Eagles had planned to begin construction on the redevelopment, which will cost £75-100million, this summer but that is now unlikely.

Negotiations are still ongoing with Croydon Council over Palace’s Section 106 obligations, as per the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, to fund transport and community improvement initiatives and until that is agreed work cannot begin.

Notes from the most recent Crystal Palace Supporters’ Trust meeting on May 8 explain how negotiations with the council were “complex” and as a result the start date for construction is likely to be put back.

“No significant developments could be confirmed since the last meeting in respect of the ‘new’ stand and training ground, negotiations were continuing but complex,” read the notes.

“The Club did wish to confirm that a number of smaller scale improvements to Selhurst and the training ground were programmed for the closed season/near future including work on the Holmesdale roof.

“The Trust welcomed the fact that other things were taking place and that the ‘new’ stand was not the sole development under consideration.

“The Trust indicated fans generally were interested in such smaller scale projects and that these should be publicised. The Club agreed to do this.”