EFL club consider moving from 94-year-old home to build new 15,000-seat stadium in new U-turn

Cambridge United are considering leaving their spiritual home for a new 15,000-capacity multi-purpose arena.

The League Two club are set to push ahead with the plans if they are unable to redevelop the club’s current Cledara Abbey Stadium.

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Cambridge, who bought the stadium back in 2022, believe remaining at the Abbey Stadium may not prove a suitable idea for the club’s long-term growth.

Plans to redevelop the Abbey Stadium were halted after majority shareholder Paul Barry said the idea was not feasible.

The overhaul would have seen the stadium’s capacity increase to between 8,000 and 12,000, however the club said it would take two decades to see a return on its investment.

Therefore, club chiefs have revealed that they would ‘work with the council to identify potential alternative sites’.

Should a move materialise, then the current stadium would require redevelopment to help finance the relocation.

Addressing the plans

A statement on Cambridge United’s website read: “At the end of January, Cambridge United submitted a formal representation to the Greater Cambridge Local Plan…

“The Local Plan is a significant milestone for the future growth of the city. It is a joint initiative between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, setting out a shared strategy for development, housing and infrastructure up to 2041.

As the primary planning document for Greater Cambridge, it guides where and how new homes and jobs are delivered, while placing strong emphasis on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable transport.

“Cambridge United is keen to play a full and constructive role in the future of the city we are proud to represent. As one of Cambridge’s largest civic institutions, the club recognises that it has a unique responsibility and opportunity to contribute both on and off the pitch.

“In the interests of transparency for supporters and stakeholders, we believe it is important to share our submission in full. A copy can be found here.

“The submission highlights the central role Cambridge United plays within the city and its communities. It underlines the importance of the club to Cambridge and its people, including the work of Cambridge United Foundation, which engages with more than 11,000 unique individuals each year and generates £1.1m in social value annually.

“Our representation supports the continued development of the Cledara Abbey Stadium, while also exploring the potential for a new, circa 15,000-capacity multi-purpose arena.

“A preferred option identified within the submission is a location at the proposed Cambridge East site. This follows the recent announcement of a new station at Cambridge East as part of the East West Rail project, which is due to open in 2031.”

‘Open minded’

Chief Executive Officer Alex Tunbridge added, “Our Local Plan submission has been made primarily to highlight the value of the club to the city and to ensure that Cambridge United is at the heart of key conversations about the future planning of Cambridge.

“Whilst the Cledara Abbey Stadium is our spiritual home, a financially viable and deliverable redevelopment is not straightforward for multiple reasons as Paul Barry made clear last autumn.

“For that reason, the Owners and Board are open minded about a potential future relocation.

“Any conversations about this potentially happening are at a very early stage. Remaining in the Abbey Ward or as close to it as possible would be our ambition, should redevelopment of the Cledara Abbey Stadium not be feasible.

“The club has now commissioned an Economic Impact Assessment to better understand our current financial and economic contribution to the city, and to help illustrate the additional positive impact that could be generated by an increase in capacity, either at the Abbey or at a new site.

“We appreciate that the submission is a long and detailed document, but we believe it is important that supporters and stakeholders are fully aware of the opportunities being highlighted.

“We will continue to communicate openly as matters progress. We are ambitious for the future of both the city and the club within it.”

Cambridge’s previous plans

Back in 2019, the U’s announced plans for a new 12,000-capacity venue back in 2019.

Located on greenbelt land to the east of the city, the club hoped the project would be completed within five years.

It followed previous plans to move in 2013 which were ultimately dropped after failing to secure council backing.

KSS Group

KSS Group

The proposed new venue would have had the ability to host concerts, conferences and medical facilities beyond its use by the club.

Images released by the U’s showed the innovative design for the stadium.

They included lighting which would see the ground glow amber at night, mimicking the club’s amber and black colours.

Before the project could get underway, though, Cambridge scrapped their plans to relocate.

Instead, the club bought back Abbey Stadium three years ago, where they then announced their plans to push ahead with their recently-stalled renovation project.

Now it seems that relocation is back on the table.

Cambridge sit second in League Two, four points adrift of leaders Bromley in the race for promotion.

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They are managed by former Millwall boss Neil Harris who took over in February 2025 with the club bottom of League One.

But an instant return to the third tier is looking more likely thanks to Harris’ heroics.