Fulham to Expand Stadium Capacity after Council Approval
July 27, 2012
English Premier league team, Fulham have been granted permission to turn Craven Cottage into a 30,000-seater stadium.
They are set to expand the capacity of the ground by an additional 4,300 seats.
The decision was made by Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council’s planning applications committee on Thursday.
The changes will see a new upper tier added to the Riverside Stand, while planning consent also allows for the partial demolition and rebuilding of the western ends of the Putney and Hammersmith stands.
The club will add an upper tier to the currently single-decker Riverside stand, while the western ends of the Putney and Hammersmith stands behind the two goals, will be partially demolished and reconstructed.
“This modest expansion, which will be carried out in a sensitive and sensible way, will allow the club to remain competitive in the top tier of English football,” council leader Nicholas Botterill said.
“It will also remove the existing, rather ugly, Riverside Stand.”
Alistair Mackintosh, the Fulham CEO, said the club was delighted with the decision, adding: “Craven Cottage is synonymous with Fulham FC, and it is vital that the club is given every opportunity to develop the facilities available to ensure that it can continue to prosper and compete and remain at its home for the long term.
” I am confident that an increased capacity and major improvements to the facilities can help us deliver the chairman’s vision of long-term growth and self sustainability for this football club.”