Chelsea have taken early steps towards upgrading their training base by holding discussions with the local council.The Premier League side have been stationed at the Cobham Training Centre in Stoke d’Abernon, Surrey, since January 2005.Nothing is imminent, but Chelsea have made a start on plans to upgrade their Cobham training baseGettyTemporary buildings on the £20million site housed players and staff before the facilities were officially opened in 2007.Chelsea men’s and women’s teams train on its pitches, with academy sessions and matches also taking place there.It was considered to be a world-leading centre upon its unveiling, but domestic and European rivals have overtaken its standard of quality.There is now a vision for redevelopment as Elmbridge Local Council have revealed the club’s interest in upgrading their Cobham HQ.“We can confirm that pre-application discussions have taken place regarding Chelsea Football Club’s training ground in Cobham,” they said in a statement.“Pre-application discussions are a normal part of the planning process. They allow applicants and planning officers to discuss emerging proposals before any formal planning application is submitted. These discussions help identify planning issues, provide guidance on relevant policies and requirements, and do not indicate that any future application will be approved or supported. “No planning application has been submitted at this stage. If an application is received, it will be considered through the normal planning process, including public consultation, and assessed against relevant local and national planning policies.”Where else could Chelsea have trained?Before moving to Cobham under former owner Roman Abramovich, Chelsea trained a stone’s throw from Heathrow Airport in Harlington.Their west London rivals Queens Park Rangers took over the site once the move to Surrey was completed.However, Abramovich appeared keen on a location close to the centre of the capital – Regent’s Park.Chelsea have trained at Cobham, which has over 30 pitches and a high-quality gym, for over two decadesAFPAbramovich liked the idea of the club training at Regent’s Park, but this was an almost impossible planGettyKen Bates, who sold Chelsea to Abramovich in a £140m deal in 2003, recalled the interest to The Blueprint podcast three years ago.“Abramovich hired a helicopter for a trip around London,” the late Bates explained via The Telegraph. “He saw a park and said, ‘That looks like a good park. Let’s buy that for the training ground.’“But he got told, ‘I don’t think you will get that. That’s Regent’s Park and it’s owned by the Queen.'”Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed a £4.25b takeover of Chelsea from Abramovich in May 2022.It was announced last month that Clearlake would acquire the shares owned by Boehly and Mark Walter – 26 per cent worth £950m.The ownership are known as BlueCo, and now tasked with taking the club’s training facilities to the next level.