Fans have been left concerned this week as news emerges on Nottingham Forest’s new exciting stadium redevelopment plans.
Reports have emerged claiming that a decision on whether to build a new residential block as part of the City Ground’s redevelopment has been delayed.
The Reds issued plans to increase the capacity of the stadium to 38,000 and build a 19-storey residential block next to the Peter Taylor Stand, which is to be rebuilt.
A decision on the plans has been held back by three months until Tuesday the 19th of January 2021.
Rushcliffe Borough Council said this was because of further changes being made to the residential element of the proposals as well as highways and other minor alterations.
The plans will see a new 10,000 seat Main Stand, increasing the stadium’s capacity to over 38,000, along with improvements to the Trentside area, Brian Clough and Bridgford Stands.
The new Peter Taylor Stand will see the introduction of world-class facilities including a museum, a new club shop, range of hospitality lounge options and restaurants and executive boxes. The new residential block would see around “250 dwellings” too.
There have been a number of consultations and changes to the plans since it was first submitted to the council back in 2019.
The council’s executive manager for communities Dave Mitchell said: “We continue to work with the applicant to try and resolve outstanding matters raised during the consultation on the planning application.”
The City Ground has not undergone any major work since 1994 but are hopeful building work will commence at the end of the 2019/20 season.
? @NFFC have revealed plans to expand the City Ground.
? Stadium capacity will increase to 38,000…
? …including knocking down the Peter Taylor Stand & building a new 10,000-seater instead.
? Owner Evangelos Marinakis: “This is our home and we will remain here forever”. pic.twitter.com/QawKFpA6ik
— SPORF (@Sporf) March 1, 2019
Work had been scheduled to begin on the ground this summer, once the 2019/20 season was over, with the aim of a 15-month completion from start to finish.
However, due to the coronavirus pandemic along with the planning approval yet to be granted, it is understood there have been issues with the proposed residential development next to the stadium.
The Championship club had originally planned to relocate Peter Taylor Stand season card holders for the 2020/21 campaign, but they have now been allowed to renew their seats.
“The club had planned that major construction work would begin in May this year, however due to delays in the planning process the club is not in a position to start the development at the end of the current season,” a statement said.
“As a result the club has made the decision to allow season card holders in the Peter Taylor Stand the chance to renew their seat.
“The club remains fully committed to the project and will continue to work towards securing all the relevant approvals, and is evaluating the options for the new timescales in order to minimise disruption for supporters.”
Forest can’t reveal when exactly the project can start and finish, as we wait to find out how coronavirus pandemic lasts.
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They told the Supporters’ Trust: “We appreciate our supporters are keen to understand the timescales for the stadium redevelopment.
“However, given the current climate, we are not in a position to accurately predict when work will start or finish.
“We remain in contact with our partners on the project and council to understand what our options are, however as we are sure our supporters can appreciate this is not a priority for them (councils) at this moment in time.
“The club and our advisors however are still working with a target to secure planning permission ASAP and remain 100 per cent committed to the redevelopment project.”
Rushcliffe MP Ruth Edwards is backing the stadium redevelopment plans, meeting with the club’s chairman Nicholas Randall to discuss the proposals.
“The City Ground is an iconic stadium in English football, but it needs redevelopment to allow the club to move forward with its ambitions and I am very supportive of what Nicholas and the owners are trying to achieve,” she said.
“These are exciting plans for a new Peter Taylor Stand and a residential development which will be a striking addition to the cityscape along the river.
“People are rightly focused on coronavirus at the moment, but we need to make sure that big investment projects, like this, are still moving forward.
“This redevelopment will benefit not only Forest itself but will also bring extra trade to many local businesses.
“I sincerely hope the planning application is approved very soon as the club needs certainty, and the community, as well as Forest fans everywhere, will want to see the club able to plan for the future.”
It’s bleak times for the club you could say with Nottingham Forest suffering a dismal start to the 2020/21 season, currently sitting 20th in the Championship table.
As mentioned fans have been left angry as news comes out on Nottingham Forest’s new stadium redevelopment…
Matt Meakin: It’ll be a great ground in league one the way we are going
Raheem Laghari: No, we expect it to be a massive ball ache, were used to it now.
Suneil Johal: Sod the new stadium. Rather have the team playing well and winning
Laurence Hall: Club in crisis – total shambles
Simon Cutter: Did you ever believe this would happen? It’s the 3rd time in the last 20 years someone has got excited about this only to find out it’s not as easy as they thought.
Martyn Barnett: it’s better to do it now with no fans, it would get done a lot quicker IMO
Mark Carmichael: Just bulldoze it and build an ASDA.
David Oliver: Now would be an ideal time to do it with no fans ?
Jack Walker: Perry Saunders, looks like a nice league one ground that
Alan Haynes: Would be the ideal time to do it the way it’s not going to be till at least next season before we can go back
Forestkev: It might not be the priority of the council but we should be badgering them every day. There will never be a better time to do this than now. It looks likely that there won’t be any fans allowed in the ground all season so this would be a win-win. (2 wins eh) I hope Evangelos isn’t skint!
thosewerethedays1: Agreed, it’s now or never for the Main Stand and while the finances are in place we should be at least knocking the Main Stand down and clearing the site.
Cheeks: Now’s the time to do it. Removing all that asbestos from the Main Stand is officially safer than going to the pub or the barbers at the moment.
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