Crystal Palace have the go-ahead to build a new main stand to boost Selhurst Park’s capacity to more than 34,000.

Croydon Borough Council voted to grant an updated planning application for Palace’s long-term plans to revamp their south London stadium.

Croydon’s planning committee first accepted plans from Palace four years ago, but the Covid pandemic saw progress stalled, with new submissions required.

Palace’s capacity will increase by more than 8,000 under the new plans, leaving chairman Steve Parish boosted by the decision.

“The academy and the football club is something south London should be proud of,” Parish told the Croydon Council planning committee meeting.

“It’s a symbol of everything we are in south London.

“For too long it’s been run down. I’ve spent the last 12 years trying to improve it.

“We’ve finally got a Grade A facility at the academy and we want to have a Grade A facility at the stadium now too.”

Palace must agree plans to buy six houses in Wooderson Close and relocate the residents affected, while also conclude discussions with Sainsbury’s to purchase a piece of the supermarket chain’s land required for the development.

“I would like to thank Croydon Council for their continued support for the stadium redevelopment, which will bring substantial investment into the borough, as well as breathing new life into Selhurst Park,” said Parish.

“We would have liked to have started the project sooner, but our plans were delayed by financial constraints caused by the Covid pandemic.

“In the last couple of years our focus has been on bringing our exciting academy development to fruition, but our attention will now turn to the stadium project.

“It has long been our ambition to extend and modernise Selhurst Park, making it a home fit for the 21st century.

“We are looking forward to getting started on the project. There is a lot of preparatory work to be done in the coming months and we will update on a likely timetable in due course.”

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