Forest consider new stadium site

A proposed 50,000-seat stadium for Nottingham Forest could be based at new location near the city.

Original plans for the stadium placed it in Clifton, but it is now suggested the stadium could be built close to Holme Pierrepont.

The new site is near the National Watersports Centre, Forest chief executive Mark Arthur confirmed.

The plans are still at proposal stage. The latest site is between Lady Bay and Holme Pierrepont off Regatta Way.

'Super stadium'

The so-called super stadium is part of a bid to attract the 2018 World Cup to England - and the city council hopes a new stadium would help it win a place as one of the host venues.

Mr Arthur said: "We could over the ensuing years rebuild the main stand (at City Ground) and increase capacity to 37,000, but we would never be able to attract major events as a city such as World Cup matches and England Under-21s or the Women's FA Cup."

The city needs to put in an official bid by 2010 in order to host World Cup matches and needs a stadium with a capacity of 45,000.

He said a new bridge over the River Trent would also be needed for a successful project.

Nottingham Forest originally announced plans to move to Clifton by 2014, but the club said developers decided against that location.

"The problem with Clifton is that it is quite a long way out of the city centre," Mr Arthur added.

The club said access problems at the City Ground on the River Trent was the main reason it was keen to find a new home.

The club's current ground has been its home since 1898.