Nottingham Forest stadium expansion given green light

Plans for an expansion were first unveiled in 2019, and outline planning permission was initially granted in 2022, but the project has since encountered a number of complications.

Council documents published last week said the “extended passage of time” meant the application required “fresh consideration”.

Construction was originally expected to cost about £94m, but an estimate from January 2025 indicates this has risen to £130m.

The latest report, however, states the development is expected to boost the local economy by an extra £13m a year and create hundreds of jobs.

As a condition of the planning permission, Forest will be required to make contributions to local infrastructure – what is known as a section 106 agreement.

These include paying just over £1m to improve local bus services, £150,000 to upgrade the A60/Cattle Market Road junction, and £200,000 for cycle improvements along Lady Bay Bridge.

The club is also set to enter into a legal agreement with Nottingham Rowing Club to replace its Britannia boathouse, which is set to be demolished as part of the plans.

Replacement facilities will have to be in place before any demolition work takes place, but it was stated during the committee meeting that a location for the new boathouse has not yet been identified.

The club has also been given outline planning permission to build up to 170 flats next to the stadium, but this element will need further consideration at a later date.

The plans for the new stand and the flats were “de-coupled” earlier this year, so that the two do not depend on one another to get planning consent.

Taking into account the structural roof trusses, the new stand will be approximately 38m (124ft) high, making it the tallest stand at the City Ground.