Nottingham Forest City Ground deal to proceed in ‘timely manner’ amid significant step

A deal securing Nottingham Forest’s future at the City Ground could be signed in a “timely manner” with the ball now fully in the Reds’ court after the city council finalised its offer to the club. Senior councillors have voted to approve a deal in principle that will see Nottingham City Council, the landowner of the City Ground, sell the freehold to Nottingham Forest.

Councillor Neghat Khan, leader of the city council, told the council’s executive meeting on Tuesday (July 16): “I am proud that we have brought this report here today… England’s progress at the Euros shows that football can bring us all together… This has been going on for some time and as the new leader I have promised to take decisive action.”

Councillor Ethan Radford, deputy leader of the council, added: “We are pleased to have agreed a common purpose with the club… The directors will work with Nottingham Forest to deliver this transaction in a timely manner.”

READ MORE: Nottingham Forest set to remain at City Ground after ‘historic’ land sale deal agreed

Upon succeeding David Mellen as leader of Nottingham City Council, Councillor Khan said she wanted a face-to-face meeting with Forest chairman Tom Cartledge and club owner Evangelos Marinakis. That meeting has yet to take place, with Mr Marinakis having spent a lot of time in New York recently, although it is understood the club want to hold the face-to-face meeting to sign the final deal.

The agreement at the executive board meeting does not mean the deal is completely done, however, but it essentially means that Forest’s future at the City Ground is now in their hands. Tuesday’s meeting means Nottingham City Council has confirmed its side of the deal and subject to legal and due diligence checks, it is now up to council officers and Forest representatives to agree the final terms.

Councillor Khan first announced at a meeting on Monday (8 July) that terms had been agreed in principle for Nottingham Forest to buy the land on which the City Ground sits. That statement followed months of public wrangling between Forest and the council over the latter’s attempts to increase the club’s rent from £250,000 a year to “over a million”.

The option for the club to purchase freehold of the ground has been on the table since negotiations began and Nottingham City Council has suggested that this is the option that Forest have provisionally agreed to. However, in a statement issued after the 8 July meeting, Forest said they are continuing to “work on the terms for a conditional agreement to purchase the freehold”. Last week, the club said: “Following today’s comments from the leader of the city council, the club wishes to clarify the situation for supporters and interested parties in relation to the freehold of the City Ground.

“For absolute clarity, we continue to work on the terms for a conditional agreement for the purchase of the freehold. Any decision to purchase the freehold will be entirely conditional on Nottingham Forest first receiving the relevant permissions that will enable us to realise our hugely ambitious plans for a significantly increased stadium capacity, world-class hospitality venues and substantial associated property development in close proximity to the ground.

“Our discussions remain confidential and the Club will update fans when significant progress has been made.” Planning permission is not a matter for Nottingham City Council but rather Rushcliffe Borough Council.

The leader of that authority, Councillor Neil Clarke, said in a recent statement: “We have granted Nottingham Forest planning permission for their latest planning application to extend the capacity of the ground and associated development in 2022 and, should any new plans emerge, they will go through our usual independent planning process. A central part of the long-term vision for the City Ground is to increase the capacity of the Peter Taylor Stand by demolishing and rebuilding it.

Plans also include improving and, in the case of the Bridgford Stand, extending the other three sides of the pitch. Once the main stadium work is complete, Forest plan to build a 169-unit residential block close to the existing Bridgford House apartments.

The latter element is what reportedly prompted the council to seek to increase Forest’s rent. Nottingham City Council said the terms agreed in principle would allow Forest’s development plans to go ahead.