Nottingham City Council gets green light for redevelopment of sports ground

Nottingham City Council has received approval for the next stage of developing the Forest Sports Zone at Forest Recreation Ground.

In the same location where Nottingham Forest Football Club was established 150 years ago, there now stands a complex featuring a full-size floodlit all-weather 3G pitch, a floodlit sand-based multi-activity pitch, and a newly constructed pavilion.

The pavilion includes six changing rooms, catering facilities, and indoor areas designated for educational purposes, club meetings, and social gatherings.

Since its construction in 2015, in partnership with Nottingham Forest Community Trust (NFCT), the Forest Sports Zone provides a range of football development and other sports activities.

Forest Rec sports zone 2

However, after nine years, the lower sand-based pitch, initially funded by Sport England, has deteriorated and now needs replacing.

As part of the agreement with Sport England, the council established a ‘sinking fund’ named Forest Multi-Use Activity Pitch to cover the costs of replacing the sand-based pitch.

To enhance the facilities at the site further, £1.8m has been obtained from the Football Foundation, along with £530,000 from Nottingham Trent University (NTU).

Councillor Corall Jenkins, portfolio holder for energy, environment, waste services and parks at Nottingham City Council said: “We are very excited to have received approval to go ahead with improvement developments for the Forest Recreation Ground Sports Zone. This project funding is essential to drive forward the improvement of the facilities which are so important to young people in the community and city-wide. We look forward to working with partners and funders to deliver another project that benefits all our citizens, as well as visitors from outside the city.”