We live by Chelsea training ground – we HATE their ‘obscene’ plan to ‘take over’ our tiny village & ruin our way of life

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.

Gary Stone

Chelsea Football Club’s plans to demolish farm buildings (pictured) on a stable yard in Surrey have been terminated by the local council[/caption]

Gary Stone

Cleaning boss Sally Judd was among the local residents to come out against the club’s expansion over recent years[/caption]

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Chelsea had planned to expand around their training ground in Cobham[/caption]

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.

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.

“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.

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.

Gary Stone

Mr McWaed was concerned about traffic in the area as a result of the expansion[/caption]

Gary Stone

Chelsea have no current official plans to expand the ground – but that hasn’t stopped residents from worrying[/caption]

Gary Stone

Local Angela Johnstone worried about affordable prices and more traffic congestion[/caption]

Gary Stone

Elmbridge Borough Council rejected the plans, submitted in November 2022[/caption]

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.

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.

“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.

Alamy

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly is thought to be at the forefront of the development plans[/caption]

Gary Stone

These farm buildings were due to be demolished in order to build a new housing estate[/caption]

Gary Stone

Locals feared traffic chaos if the plans had gone ahead[/caption]