Nottingham Forest finally set to push ambitious City Ground redevelopment forward amid new proposals

Nottingham Forest have taken another step towards their long-awaited redevelopment of the City Ground by submitting fresh demolition proposals.

Five houses behind the stadium could be knocked down as the club looks to prepare the site for its ambitious expansion plans.

Forest set to demolish five houses behind the City Ground

According to local reports, Forest have submitted proposals to demolish five houses near the City Ground as they look to make progress on plans to eventually increase capacity from around 30,000 to as many as 52,500.

The club first unveiled expansion plans in 2019 and received approval in the summer of 2025 before revealing an even more ambitious vision later that year.

The initial target is understood to be a capacity of around 45,000, with the possibility of further expansion in the future.

Four club-owned properties on Colwick Road and another on Rosebery Avenue are now earmarked for demolition. The houses sit close to the John Robertson Stand, with Forest hoping that clearing the land early will allow utility, infrastructure and other enabling works to take place while the wider redevelopment proposals are considered.

Planning documents submitted on the club's behalf by Savills state that carrying out the demolitions in advance would provide a “significant programme advantage” and allow construction of the new stands to begin more quickly once the necessary approvals and pre-commencement conditions are in place.

The demolition process is expected to take around 12 weeks and is currently scheduled to begin on September 1st.

Forest have also recently strengthened their control of land surrounding the stadium by purchasing the freehold of the nearby Environment Agency offices for a reported £5 million.

FGG says: City Ground redevelopment finally showing small sign of progress

This may only be a relatively small update in the context of Forest's huge ambitions for the City Ground, but supporters have been waiting years for meaningful signs that the redevelopment is moving forward.

Clearing nearby properties and securing additional land will not transform the stadium overnight, but these are necessary steps if the club is serious about delivering its long-promised expansion.

After numerous plans, revisions and delays, any tangible movement will be welcomed by Forest fans.