Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning committee met this afternoon to vote on plans to increase capacity at The City Ground.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Planning Committee has today(July 28) approved Nottingham Forest’s plans for amendments to The City Ground including a new stand increasing capacity and associated residential development.
Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council Cllr Simon Robinson said: “Both sides have shown commitment to get the application through and do the very best for the club, the supporters and Rushcliffe itself.
“We appreciate Nottingham Forest is a very keen partner of the council. They bring a huge amount of business right across the Borough. We’re absolutely delighted that this application has now been passed and we look forward to working with them going forward.”
The meeting at Rushcliffe Arena saw councillors vote to give plans to extend the site and build residential accommodation the go-ahead.
The vote was: 9 for and 2 against
The Planning Committee is formed of 11 Borough Councillors who make decisions on relevant applications including those larger in scale, such as the club’s submission.
As with all planning applications that require consideration by the committee, planning officers present a report containing their recommendation.
The first phase of the plans would centre on redeveloping the Peter Taylor stand by rebuilding it to an increased capacity of 5,000 supporters.
This would come alongside world-class dressing rooms, a museum, a club shop, executive boxes and media suites.
The club also plans to make improvements to the other three sides of the ground, with the Bridgford Stand earmarked for an extension.
Plans detail the redevelopment of the Peter Taylor stand (including the demolition of existing buildings/structures), a new public realm, replacement club shop,car parking and associated works, and Outline planning permission for up to 170 residential units including flexible uses at ground floor at Nottingham Forest Football Club City Ground (Including Champions Centre, Club Shop And Storage Warehouse, And Rowing Club Britannia Boathouse)
Some however objected to the plans mostly on the grounds of parking on match days, infrastructure and the apartment block – including Cllr Sue Mallender ( Green Party Lady Bay ward and Mayor ) who writes on the planning portal:
‘The main source of the detriment comes from the parking of vehicles of Forest and away fans on the roads of Lady Bay ward.
‘Often this results in severe blockage of the roads so that residents are unable to find places to park in an area where the majority of the houses are Victorian and Edwardian buildings with no parking spaces.
‘Even those slightly more modern houses in the area with garages have no parking as modern vehicles are too large for the garages built in the 1920s-50s.
‘This parking from fans results in the number 11 bus being unable to serve the area and the access for emergency vehicles difficult or impossible, putting lives at risk.’
On the whole the plans have attracted 2,669 comments from the public, with 121 objecting. See them here.
