Essendon chairman David Evans says the Bombers have started exploring options to shift their headquarters away from their historic home at Windy Hill.

The AFL club want to expand their training and community facilities at Windy Hill, but they do not have the space to do so given the presence of a bowls club which has also been a long-term tenant.

While the bowls club have looked at alternative venues, they have so far decided they want to stay put.

Evans said that had forced the Bombers to consider leaving Windy Hill, where they have been based since 1922.

"We've been exploring an option to develop here at Windy Hill and it's something we've done a lot of work on and right now we're about to embark at looking at the go option," Evans said.

"We're not saying we are going from Windy Hill, but what we are saying is we would like now to explore the go option."

He said two sites the club had already started looking at were Essendon Airport and the Melbourne Showgrounds.

"We have had preliminary discussions and we're now going to open it up so we speak to other parties as well," he said.

Evans said the announcement of their plans to explore their options for relocating were not an attempt to increase the pressure on the bowls club.

But he doubted there could be room for both given the Bombers' plans to create a "multi generation community and football facility".

"We believe Windy Hill with bowls is probably not going to give us the room to stay here."

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