Nottingham City Council has agreed to make the land on which the Nottingham Forest City Ground is located available for sale to the club.
The council’s executive members met on Tuesday and formally agreed to sell the freehold to the club.
Neghat Khan, the authority’s leader, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that it had done “everything it could” to get the transaction done, but that it was now up to the club to complete it.
The club had stated that their purchase was contingent on “relevant permissions” that would allow it to carry out “hugely ambitious plans” for the City Ground.
Ms. Khan responded: “Exec Board has agreed to sell the freehold, sell the land, to Forest.”So it implies we’ve done everything inside Nottingham City Council to acquire approval for that arrangement. Everyone will now be required to sign legal contracts.
According to council papers, the authority intends to complete the sale and receive the proceeds in the fiscal year 2024-25, which ends in March.
Ethan Radford, deputy leader, stated that officials would work with the club to complete the transaction in a timely manner.
In a previous press release, the club stated: “Any decision to purchase the freehold will be entirely conditional on Nottingham Forest first being granted the relevant permissions that will allow us to realise 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 approached for more comments.
Nottingham Forest presently rents the site from the council, but the existing agreement has only 33 years left.
A 250-year lease extension was deemed necessary so that the club could proceed with its stadium expansion plans.
However, negotiations broke down earlier this year as the council requested a higher lease payment.
Following the club’s ascension to the Premier League, it requested a salary increase from £250,000 to almost £1 million per year, according to the LDRS.
The council stated at the time that it was legally required to ensure that choices provided the best value possible, especially after declaring official bankruptcy in November.
When Ms Khan became leader of the Labour-run authority in May, discussions on the sale resumed.
She declared during a meeting on July 8 that arrangements had been agreed in principle for the sale of the freehold for an unknown fee, but the club stressed that they were still being worked on.
In July 2022, Rushcliffe Borough Council granted planning approval for the redevelopment of the Peter Taylor stand, which included the demolition of existing facilities, a new public realm, a replacement club store, vehicle parking, and associated works.
The council also granted outline planning permission for up to 170 residential apartments on the ground level, allowing flexible uses (Class E).
However, the club has not yet obtained planning approval to expand the Bridgford stand.
Planning permission for this aspect would allow the club to realize its updated ambition outlined in its masterplan, which aims to increase stadium capacity from little under 30,000 to 40,000, according to the LDRS.
Neil Clarke, the Conservative leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, said should any further plans come forward “these will go through our usual independent planning process”.
