Residents living in the shadow of Nottingham Forest City Park say they feel “in the dark” about the planned redevelopment. The club unveiled plans for the first time in 2019 to create a new world-class Peter Taylor Stand and improvements to Trentside, Brian Clough and Bridgford grounds.
Proposals to redevelop the Peter Taylor Stand, create a new public area, replace the club shop and car park were then given planning permission in July 2022 by Rushcliffe Borough Council. Outline permission for a block of up to 170 homes was also granted by the authority at the same time.
Plans would see capacity increased to 38,000, but problems ranging from the Covid pandemic to the recent stalled negotiations between the club and Nottingham City Council mean work has yet to start.
Residents living on Colwick Road, which leads to the Bridgford Stand, say they have had no visits from club officials, except when anti-terror barriers were erected at the end of the street in January 2022. Jane, who asked to be referred to by her first name only, has lived in Colwick Road since 1988.
Her semi-detached house is located almost directly below the Bridgford Stand and close to one of the many empty properties on the street already owned by the club. The potential impact on residents living on Colwick Road became more apparent when the club unveiled a new masterplan in February, months after the appointment of chairman Tom Cartledge.
The club said it plans to further expand the Bridgford Stand by an additional 5,000 fans, which would help increase the capacity to 40,000. Jane recalled the previous renovation of the Bridgford Stand in 1992 when work began to expand its capacity to 7,710.
Its oddly shaped roof was a design requirement to allow sunlight to reach her home and others on Colwick Road. “When they were building the foundation, my house was shaking,” she said. “It was terrible.”
Jane said she would support the redevelopment of the stand, but only if the club promised not to build a new entrance to the stadium on Colwick Road. According to land registry documents, the club already owns a number of properties on Colwick Road.
Before that, the club used them as accommodation for young players. A man and woman who have lived in Colwick Road since the 1990s said they felt they were being “kept in the dark” about the plans.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Before covid the youngsters were living in houses and now we have them empty. Forest said they would only play at the Bridgford stand when they were an established Premier League team, when is that?
Although he is a season ticket holder himself, he said he fears losing street lighting if Bridgford’s stand is extended. “We would object,” he said.
Another resident, Helen, said she had been living on the street for five years. “We love living here,” she said. “People say they wouldn’t like to live here, but when Take That was here we all sat in the street and listened.
“But it’s very uncertain. I keep wondering if [the club] will have to demolish houses.”
Currently, the club only has planning permission for the redevelopment of the Peter Taylor Stand. Any redevelopment of the Bridgford Stand would be subject to consent from Rushcliffe Borough Council as the planning authority.
Earlier this year the club attempted to agree a 250-year lease extension from landowners Nottingham City Council.
With only 33 years left on the existing lease for the City Ground, it was vital for the club to see their plans through. But negotiations broke down after the council demanded a higher rental fee, which is expected to rise from £250,000 a year to around £1m after Nottingham Forest’s promotion to the Premier League.
The council said at the time that it was legally bound to deliver best value in decisions, particularly following the declaration of de facto bankruptcy and the appointment of government commissioners in February. Following continued negotiations between the club and council, senior councilors agreed at a meeting on July 16 to sell the property for an undisclosed sum.
The head of the authority, Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), previously said: “This now means that we have done everything we can at Nottingham City Council to get approval to do this deal. Now everyone will have to sign the legal contracts.”
In a statement, which the club says it still stands by, it said it was “continuing to work on the terms of a conditional contract to purchase the freehold”. The club added that the purchase is “fully conditional on Nottingham Forest first obtaining the appropriate consents to enable us to deliver on our hugely ambitious plans, our hugely ambitious plans for significantly increased stadium capacity, premium hospitality and associated significant property development close to the ground”.
Cllr Neil Clarke (Con), leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, said that if any further plans came forward they would “go through our normal independent planning process”.