Nottingham Forest have been given the green light for their City Ground redevelopment plans, on a momentous day for the club.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning committee met today to consider the application to transform the Reds’ stadium. And in what is a landmark decision for Forest, the project was given approval.
The Reds’ intention to update their ground and increase capacity was first announced in 2019. Work had been due to begin the following summer, with the aim of a 15-month completion, but that was put on hold due to delays in the planning process.
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It has been a long and complex road to get to this point, with promotion to the Premier League only underlining the need to be able to accommodate more fans. But with the nod now given, it is an exciting time on the banks of the Trent.
Forest want to knock down and rebuild the Peter Taylor Stand, increasing it to a capacity of 10,000 seats, up from its current 5,000. A committee report published before today’s meeting outlined the proposed timeline for the project, with demolition work set to start next summer.
The intention is to complete the rebuilding by the end of the 2023/24 season, with the possibility that the lower tier could be operational first. In total, it is estimated the redevelopment will cost more than £94m.
Previously, there have been planning issues with the proposed residential development next to the stadium. The committee report outlined a planning application for up to 170 residential units in a 13-storey apartment block, which will be used to help fund the stadium project. The outline application for the residential block was approved as part of the hybrid application.
Rushcliffe Borough Council posted on social media: "Our Planning Committee has today approved @NFFC’s plans for The City Ground. Leader Cllr Simon Robinson said: “All parties have shown commitment to get the application through and do the very best for the club, the supporters and Rushcliffe itself.”"
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