Cambridge United came close to leaving their famous Abbey Stadium home after unveiling plans for a new ground. However, the recently relegated side instead opted against relocating from their 1930s stadium. 4 Cambridge unveiled plans for a new 12,000-capacity stadium in 2019 Credit: KSS Group 4 The club hoped to leave Abbey Stadium as part of a £25million project Credit: KSS Group 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. Cambridge later intended to redevelop Abbey Stadium, which has been their home since it opened in 1932. However, those plans also fell through, prompting the £25million project unveiled midway through the 2019/20 season. At the time, chief executive Ian Mather described their stadium as being 'at the end of its useful life'. Abbey Stadium has a capacity of 7,937 fans, with just 4,231 of those supporters seated. 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. 4 Cambridge's proposed stadium would glow in the club's amber and black colours Credit: KSS Group 4 The U's ultimately chose to stay at Abbey Stadium, their home since 1932 Credit: GETTY Before the project could get underway, though, Cambridge scrapped their plans to relocate. Instead, the club bought back Abbey Stadium in 2022 with the intention of redeveloping their current home. Plans to expand and improve the venue are still on the table, with proposals to build two new stands. The club are hoping to replace the terraced Newmarket Road End and Habbin Stand with all-seater stands. Previous plans to modernise the venue, released in 2015, featured the construction of the Cambridge Sporting Village. If completed, the project would have seen 500 new homes built in the surrounding area. Former EFL stalwarts forced to scrap 21,000-seat stadium plan to stay at crumbling ground The plans would have also seen the capacity of the stadium increase to 11,000 fans. Over half a decade on from their plans for a new ground, Cambridge were relegated from League One this season. Their drop into League Two ahead of the upcoming campaign ended a four-year stay in the third tier. Neil Harris' side had their fate sealed with a match remaining following a 2-1 loss at relegation rivals Burton on Saturday.