Tom Cartledge, the chairman of Nottingham Forest, talks about the reconstruction project at City Ground.
Nottingham Forest’s plans to renovate the City Ground are “progressing at pace,” according to chairman Tom Cartledge.
In 2019, the team made the multi-million pound stadium redevelopment announcement. Demolition and reconstruction of the Peter Taylor Stand is a key component of the vision in order to expand its capacity.
Rushcliffe Borough Council approved the project in the summer of 2022, but there are still a few requirements that need to be satisfied before work can begin, such as the River Trent’s relocation and demolition of boathouses. Cartledge, who has been a part of the renovation project from the beginning, claims that advancements are still being made.
The Reds want to make sure that green credentials are top of mind when the time comes to start working. It happens right before they open a brand-new, “climate-positive” supporter area for Saturday’s 5.30 p.m. match against Everton.
“Many supporters are often inquiring about the status of the Peter Taylor Stand. We are currently moving forward really well,” Cartledge said to NottinghamshireLive.
The partnerships we have with Rushcliffe Council are excellent, and we are moving forward quickly. We will now be reevaluating our sustainability as part of that initiative, including whether it pertains to power or the materials used to build the new stand.
“Nottingham’s football community shouldn’t regard it as solely a fan experience. In actuality, though, creating a new City Ground based on ecological principles is also our positive obligation to the environment.
“We intend to release several details regarding extra events happening throughout the stadium prior to Christmas.” Some more detailed timings pertaining to the Peter Taylor Stand will be included in that.
There isn’t a set date as of yet because we are currently working with the relevant councils to resolve a few important issues. However, in the last three months, we have significantly expedited that, and I am happy with the progress we have made. We should be able to confirm a few things before Christmas.
Last season, the City Ground crowd was crucial to Forest’s success at home, which helped Steve Cooper’s team maintain their Premier League standing. Due to the high demand for tickets, the club is thinking about adding more temporary seating to increase capacity. They have taken inspiration from the concept of building a makeshift sitting area atop shipping containers, which was used in Qatar’s Stadium 974 during the World Cup last year.
“A variety of announcements will be made between now and Christmas. I believe it’s reasonable to state that one of them is to examine how containers are used, to find locations or areas on the property where we might be able to achieve temporary increases in attendance,” Cartledge stated.
“But we also need facilities beside and around the ground to make sure we can fulfil Premier League needs, like TVs and media rooms, among other things. This is especially important as we aim to demolish and replace the Peter Taylor Stand.
“The ownership has made it very evident to me that we must ensure that, at all times when construction is taking place, we are optimising the chance for supporters and the Premier League to witness the City Ground as full and active as possible, while also acknowledging that we will have to lower attendance during a construction phase.
I predict that a variety of exciting events will take place to thrill fans in the run-up to Christmas. Additionally, to let people know that all of the initiatives are moving along at a steady rate.
