Nottingham Forest's City Ground expansion plans given the green light

The ground development will see capacity raised from 31,000 to 52,500 in two stages after approval was given by Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning committee.

The redevelopment will cost an estimated cost of £790m and will be the culmination of plans which were first mooted back in 2019.

Under the plans, the Champion Centre, Club Shop, Nottingham Rowing Club’s Britannia Boathouse and Sims Boathouse buildings, along with six homes, would be knocked down and a new club shop will be built as part of the project.

The redeveloped Peter Taylor Stand will bring the total stadium capacity up to 45,000, where it will be organised over multiple levels, including general admission, hospitality suites, media facilities and a restaurant with an independent entrance for use outside matchdays.

The existing Trent End Stand and concourse will be retained, where new tiers will be built over the existing roof to maintain capacity during the construction period.

The six residential properties on Rosebery Avenue and Colwick Road, near the City Ground, will be demolished to allow for the creation of a new public plaza alongside reconfigured car and coach parking.

Rushcliffe councillors also approved a further extension of the Reds’ ground through the redevelopment of the Brian Clough Stand to deliver an extra 7,500 seats – though this application was an ‘outline’ plan, meaning further details need to go through Rushcliffe planners before work can begin on this.

A spokesperson for the Nottingham Forest Supporters' Trust told the BBC: "On behalf of Forest supporters everywhere, we are delighted that our historic home has taken this major step to beginning its generational next chapter.

"We want to thank the club, our members, council officers and Rushcliffe Borough Planning Committee for their hard work getting us this far. It is a huge moment."

The Reds’ expansion plans mean the Peter Taylor car park will be reduced down from 143 spaces to just nine, where on-site parking will be limited to operational staff, accessible guests and VIPs.

To mitigate the parking loss, shuttle buses from existing Nottingham park and ride sites are included in plans.

The new public plaza will connect Pavilion Road to Trentside North to allow free pedestrian movement between the two and will partly feature on the site of the reduced Peter Taylor car park.

Forest is set to pay about £4.17 million in developer contributions for the wider community, including £1.75 million towards bus services and £990,000 towards a parking restriction zone, £424,900 towards walking and cycling and £386,397 towards the Queen’s Drive and Colwick Road park and ride sites.