Forest’s stadium revamp plans: How did we get here?

Nottingham Forest have new ambitions for the City Ground, months after earlier expansion plans were approved.

The club hosted drop-in sessions at the stadium at the weekend to share its vision of a venue featuring up to 52,000 seats with the public.

It comes five months after plans to expand the ground’s capacity from about 30,000 to 35,000 – by demolishing and rebuilding the existing Peter Taylor Stand – were approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

The BBC understands work on the new proposals could start by summer 2026 if they get the green light.

Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis has long expressed a vision for a much bigger home for his club.

He previously said Forest one day hoped to turn the City Ground into a 50,000-seat stadium.

At this stage, only plans for a total of 35,000 have been approved.

The new plan, which has not yet been submitted for planning approval, takes Forest’s vision even further, with hopes of expanding its capacity of up to 52,000.

The BBC understands the club would initially aim for a 45,000-capacity ground.

East Midlands mayor Claire Ward speaking at an event at the City Ground. She is wearing a dark blue suit with a light pink shirt and silver brooch. Her brown her is tied back in a hair clip. — East Midlands mayor Claire Ward spoke at an event at the City Ground on Thursday, ahead of drop-in sessions open to the public [East Midlands Combined County Authority]

East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward backed the plans at a pre-launch event at the City Ground on Thursday.

Ward said she envisioned an upgraded stadium as the “centrepiece” of a “Trent Sports Quarter” including the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Meadow Lane – Notts County’s home – and the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont Country Park.

The Labour mayor said the redevelopment would bring “huge benefits” for the city and wider area.

So how did we get here?

2019: The initial plan

A view inside the City Ground in Nottinghamshire. — The City Ground has played host to Premier League games for the past few seasons [Reuters]

Forest have played at the City Ground since 1898 – making it their home of 127 years.

The club previously said there had not been any major development at the club for 25 years – now 30 years.

In 2019, Forest put forward proposals to increase the capacity of its stadium from about 30,000 to 38,000.

That plan would see the main Peter Taylor Stand rebuilt, as well as a new museum and hospitality lounges.

At the time, the club said work could start by the end of the 2019-20 season, however, the proposals were not approved until three years later.

2022: Approval

A digital illustration of a proposed development of the City Ground in Nottinghamshire, showing an aerial view of a larger stadium. — This is what the initial proposals looked like in 2019 [Benoy architects]

The initial revamp plan was approved in 2022, with the scheme given greater urgency after Forest’s promotion to the Premier League,

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s planning committee voted to approve the plans, with councillors voting nine to two, after a lengthy debate.

The approved plans included an expansion of 5,000 more seats, bringing the ground’s capacity of 35,000.

The club had also applied for permission in principle to build a 13-storey apartment building which it said it would in-part sell, to fund the stadium’s construction, according to documents submitted at the time.

Council research predicted the project could add £800m more to the local economy over the first decade.

Over time, the initial plans changed.

2024: The rent row

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis smiling at the City Ground. — Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis previously said the City Ground was “where the team belongs and where the tradition is”. [PA Media]

Plans for the City Ground expansion changed over time but the redevelopment was almost scrapped when a row with Nottingham City Council over rent left a question mark over its future.

The land the stadium is sited on is leased from the council but after the authority demanded its rent was increased from £250,000 to about £1m, conversations about an expansion stalled.

At the time, in early 2024, the club even considered leaving its historic home to find a new base.

Forest still had 33 years on its lease but needed to extend it if they wanted to invest in a major redevelopment of the ground.

In July, the city council agreed to sell the stadium’s land, ending the stalemate.

The club said its decision to buy the the freehold would depend on whether its stadium expansion would be granted planning permission.

Fans told the BBC they were delighted by the announcement of a sale agreement.

By then, Forest had expressed it wanted to expand its capacity to 40,000 which included extending the Bridgford Stand – however that vision did not go to the formal planning stages.

2025: Fresh approval

In June, the club’s then latest incarnation of the City Ground expansion plans were unanimously granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council.

The plan would see the existing Peter Taylor Stand demolished and replaced with a 10,000-seater stand, increasing the City Ground’s overall capacity to 35,000.

Council documents published ahead of the decision said the “extended passage of time” meant the application needed “fresh consideration”.

The approval paved the way for the club to buy the freehold of the land which the City Ground sits upon.

As a condition of the planning permission, Forest will be required to make contributions to local infrastructure, including paying more than £1m to improve local bus services.

Meanwhile, plans to build up to 170 flats next to the stadium were separated from plans for the new stand earlier in the year, with the flats to be considered at a later date.

What’s next?

The club will now have to submit its plans to Rushcliffe Borough Council, the planning authority for the area, and await its decision.

East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward told the BBC: “I think understandably, there are many fans who feel that they’ve been at this point in the past with talk about change and they wonder will it happen but I sense a real focus by this club, by the management and the ownership of the club, to get this done.”

She added local authorities were also on the same page.

“This is the first time everybody is on the pitch genuinely wanting to see this ambitious project delivered.”

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