Inside National League club’s abandoned ‘hotel-stadium’ with 17,000-seater project sold off for housing

SOUTHEND UNITED once looked set for a move to a staggering 17,000-seater stadium which has now been sold off for housing.

Fossetts Farm Stadium was proposed as an amazing arena-hotel hybrid set to revitalise Southend’s fortunes in the National League.

Initial plans for the stadium were first drawn up all the way back in 1998.

A decade later the club applied for planning permission.

But the project fell through after Southend failed to secure financing from a nearby project.

Fast forward to 2020 and Fossets Farm was back on the table, with the area set to receive a new 17,000-seater stadium plus 1,300 new homes and even a hotel.

However, planning approval did not come from the local council.

Southend were then sold to a consortium in October 2023.

And they ultimately decided to abandon the new stadium project.

It means Southend remain at Roots Hall, which currently holds just over 12,000.

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But the club’s ground could now be set for a major boost thanks to the failed Fossets Farm plan.

Around 800 homes are set to be built on the open land after it was sold off.

And that may result in a bumper pay day for Southend, allowing for the expansion of Roots Hall.

Indeed, the arena has already been given a new scoreboard and improved bar, with stands also opening up for more supporters.

There are also plans in the work for a major redevelopment of other parts of the stadium.

But fans are sure to always dream about what could have been with the failed Fossetts Farm project.