The Infrastructure Projects

[Salvatore Matrecano]

From Percy's article today:

"Off the field, Forest are transformed. Future plans for the City Ground are set to be unveiled soon and said to be “exciting”"

Without nit picking, surely the plans have already been unveiled 3 years ago and provisional planning approval granted?

[ozzyten10]

Think we may be looking at the Brian clough stand too…

[Tricky]

From Percy's article today:

"Off the field, Forest are transformed. Future plans for the City Ground are set to be unveiled soon and said to be “exciting”"

Without nit picking, surely the plans have already been unveiled 3 years ago and provisional planning approval granted?

Maybe they have a start date in mind now Sal?

[Redsimon]

I’m thinking similarly about the ground redevelopment. It’s gone awfully quiet recently, even with the new chairman coming on board. I think they’ve realised 35,000 with a new PT stand isn’t enough. Even if they can extend the Bridgford upper tier right around that’s still only 37,500/38,000 maximum. They could completely rebuild the BC and add 3,000 or 4,000 by making it around 14,000 seats instead of the current 10,000.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

I’m thinking similarly about the ground redevelopment. It’s gone awfully quiet recently, even with the new chairman coming on board. I think they’ve realised 35,000 with a new PT stand isn’t enough. Even if they can extend the Bridgford upper tier right around that’s still only 37,500/38,000 maximum. They could completely rebuild the BC and add 3,000 or 4,000 by making it around 14,000 seats instead of the current 10,000.

Yes possibly. But there are big problems with that. Firstly the overall cost of the project would double and it’s already eye watering. Suspect it would be cheaper to demolish the whole thing and start over.
Second if we were to do both stands the whole planning process starts again and we would have to do the redevelopment in stages if we were to remain playing at the ground. The whole thing would probably take at least another 5 years.
Lastly even though we think 35k is too small I reckon we run into more planning problems if we aim to increase much further. The locals were already kicking off about traffic and parking just adding 5k.

About updating the BC I agree with. Its no longer fit for purpose and the facilities in the boxes and scope for corporate use is woeful in the current design. Both the TE and Bridgford are little better.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

While Im on here one of the biggest problems with the CG as we know is how little income we get from events, corporate facilities and meetings etc. I havent got the exact figure, think it’s published in the Kevin McGuire analysis but I do know it’s woefully low compared to other clubs and of course this affects FFP.

Not a complaint about the ownership or management there is nothing they can do with the current design and the issue dates back decades but it is a big source of revenue we do not have which is a shame because demand is there especially considering the location of the ground.

To make the point a quick list of grounds where I have attended business functions over the years, I have probably forgotten some but off the top of my head:

Pride Park, loads of times I am shamed to admit
Leicester Walkers
Leicester Tigers
Trent Bridge
Notts County, yes seriously
Burton albion
Stoke
Sheffield Utd even though its a toilet
Old Trafford (football and cricket grounds)
Etihad
Villa Park
Milton Keynes, its surprisingly nice
Reading, loads of times
The Emirates
Wembley
even Mansfield Town

But never ever once in 35 years have I been to an event that could potentially have earned some money for NFFC.

[Sausage Roll]

This is based on nothing but guesswork, but I wonder if it's to do with safe standing?

[nffc93]

This is based on nothing but guesswork, but I wonder if it's to do with safe standing?

Or timed with the departure of Cooper. Need a big positive if he goes.

[Redsimon]

This is based on nothing but guesswork, but I wonder if it's to do with safe standing?

That’s hardly “exciting news”. John Percy made that comment, it suggests something relatively substantial above the news we already know. Perhaps an upgrade on concourses in other stands?

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Daniel Taylor:

Nottingham Forest have drawn up plans to fill in the Trent End corners with temporary stands.

The idea came from Stadium 974 - built on shipping containers - at the World Cup in Qatar and will take #NFFC capacity above 30,000.

From the full article
“As it stands, the plans are only at an early stage and no decision has been finalised about when the development will start. However, with no planning permission required, it could begin before Christmas.”



However
“ The plans would involve making another 500 or so seats available to fans.”

Which sounds a bit less exciting. No further info on PT stand.

[Sausage Roll]

There were reports that EM was desperate to get the capacity up to over 30k - looks like this'll be how we do it.

[nffc93]

Daniel Taylor:

Nottingham Forest have drawn up plans to fill in the Trent End corners with temporary stands.

The idea came from Stadium 974 - built on shipping containers - at the World Cup in Qatar and will take #NFFC capacity above 30,000.

From the full article
“As it stands, the plans are only at an early stage and no decision has been finalised about when the development will start. However, with no planning permission required, it could begin before Christmas.”



However
“ The plans would involve making another 500 or so seats available to fans.”

Which sounds a bit less exciting. No further info on PT stand.

This isn't the exciting news, Percy was hinting at is? Bit of a damp squib if so.