Rushcliffe Borough Council have outlined their stance on the City Ground after Nottingham Forest intimated their future at the stadium is not completely sorted just yet.
On Monday, Nottingham City Council said an agreement in principle with the club had been reached for the Reds to buy the freehold of the land the stadium sits on. Forest responded with a statement of their own which made clear a deal was not quite over the line.
The club said any decision to buy the freehold is dependent on being granted planning permission for their “hugely ambitious plans” to redevelop the ground. Rushcliffe Borough Council hold the cards on that front.
Responding to Forest’s statement, Rushcliffe Borough Council said on X: “Our Leader Cllr Neil Clarke said: ‘We will continue to work constructively with all partners. It is positive Nottingham Forest and the City Council are continuing discussions and like all commercial negotiations, details remain confidential until finalised. We granted Nottingham Forest planning permission for their latest planning application to extend ground capacity and associated development in 2022 and should any further plans come forward these will go through our usual independent planning process.’”
A dispute between Forest and the City Council – who own the land the stadium sits on – over rent and a new lease resulted in uncertainty over the club’s future at their home for the last 125 years. A standoff between the two parties led to the Reds considering plans to relocate.
However, a statement from councillor Neghat Khan, leader of Nottingham City Council, on Monday said: “I am proud to announce that talks with Nottingham Forest have resulted in principle terms being agreed for the club to buy the land on which the City Ground sits.
Forest responded with a statement of their own. It said: “After today’s comments from the leader of the City Council, the club wishes to clarify the situation for supporters and stakeholders regarding the freehold for the City Ground. For absolute clarity, we continue to work on the terms for a conditional deal for the purchase of the freehold.
“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. Our discussions remain confidential and the Club will update fans when meaningful progress has been achieved.”