Premier League club’s ‘unique’ floating stadium plans threaten to ruin Boat Race with proposal called ‘too dangerous’
FULHAM have been urged to ditch plans to build a pier coming out of Craven Cottage.
The West Londoners have spent £80million in the last two years on constructing a new-look Riverside Stand.
It sees the capacity of the stadium increase from 25,700 to 29,600.
And the new stand, which is due to completed this year, will include a restaurant, hotel, market and event spaces.
The redevelopment has seen the river wall that backs onto the Thames move outwards by nine metres.
But Fulham‘s grand plans are not done yet as they hope to install a pier that would allow fans to travel to the ground using a ferry service.
However, the idea has received huge backlash from some locals, with a “Stop the Pier” petition amassing over 17,000 signatures.
Those against the expansion of Craven Cottage claim it will hurt sailing clubs, schools and impact the iconic Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge.
British Rowing chief Mark Davies said: “That stretch of water will become pretty well unusable.
“I’m not sure people understand just how many people use that course from all over the country.
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“Major events take place, but it’s also the major training venue. It’s like Wembley and St George’s Park.”
Meanwhile, Putney MP Fleur Anderson is also against the proposal.
She added: “If the plans go ahead, they will mean very large ferries coming down a relatively safe piece of river, which is used by thousands of people, lots rowing clubs, school clubs and youth clubs.
“They all say it’s going to be too dangerous.”
Talk of the pier has gone quiet amid construction of the new stand – but The Telegraph report that “planning permission may yet be sought”.
The original artist’s impression of a jetty sticking out across the Thames has been scrapped.
Fulham claim the design “would create substantial and obvious benefits to the local community”.