Council agrees terms of City Ground land sale
Authority says it's done 'everything it can' to get a deal done with Nottingham Forest
Last updated 16th Jul 2024
Nottingham City Council has agreed to make the land the City Ground sits on available for sale to Nottingham Forest.
The council’s executive members met on Tuesday, July 16, and formally agreed to put the freehold up for sale to the club.
The leader of the authority, Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), said the approval means from the council’s point of view “we’ve done everything we can” to get a deal done.
In an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting, Cllr Khan said: “Exec Board has agreed to sell the freehold, sell the land, to Forest.
“So now that means we have done everything within Nottingham City Council to get the approval to get that deal done. Now all will be subject to signing legal contracts.”
Cllr Ethan Radford (Lab), the deputy leader, said officers will now work with the club to conclude the transaction in a timely manner.
Council documents state it is looking conclude the sale and receive the money in the 2024/25 financial year, which ends in March next year.
The decision means the council is happy with the terms of the deal on its side, and the club must now reach its conclusion.
In a statement the club said last week it “continues to work on the terms for a conditional deal for the purchase of the freehold.”
It added the purchase is “entirely conditional on Nottingham Forest first being granted the relevant permissions that will allow us to realise our hugely ambitious plans our hugely ambitious plans for a significantly larger stadium capacity, world-class hospitality spaces and associated substantial real estate development in the vicinity of the ground.”
The club has been contacted for further comment.
Nottingham Forest currently leases the land from the council, but there had been just 33 years left on the existing agreement.
A lease extension to 250 years was seen as critical so the club could realise its plans to expand the stadium.
However, negotiations resulted in a stalemate earlier this year after the council asked for a larger sum for the lease.
Reports suggested it sought a rise from £250,000 a year to around £1m, following the club’s promotion to the Premier League.
The council said at the time it is legally bound to make sure it achieves best value in decisions, particularly after declaring effective bankruptcy in November last year.
Government commissioners were also appointed in February, and they too will be ensuring best value is achieved in all areas of its operations.
Cllr Khan took over as leader of the Labour-run authority in May, and talks resumed.
She announced during a meeting a week earlier on July 8 terms had been agreed in principle for the sale of the freehold for an undisclosed sum, before the club clarified it is still working on them.
Planning permission for the redevelopment of the Peter Taylor stand, including the demolition of existing buildings, a new public realm, replacement club shop, car parking and associated works, was granted by Rushcliffe Borough Council in July 2022.
Outline planning permission for up to 170 residential units, including flexible uses (Class E) at ground floor, was also granted by the authority.
However, the club does not yet have planning permission to extend the Bridgford stand.
Planning permission for this element would allow the club to achieve its revised vision set out in its masterplan, within which there are hopes to get stadium capacity from just short of 30,000 up to 40,000.
Cllr Neil Clarke (Con), the leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, said should any further plans come forward “these will go through our usual independent planning process”.