Stadium plan faces flood concerns

The City Ground is not suitable for the largest events, officials said

Concerns over flooding need not prevent Nottingham Forest moving to Holme Pierrepont, officials have said.

The club has announced outline plans to build a 50,000-seat, �100m stadium close to the watersports venue.

The club said the City Ground could not handle large events and an earlier proposal to move to Clifton had been rejected.

Rushcliffe Borough Council has welcomed the idea and said fears over flooding could be overcome with planning.

The club said access problems at the City Ground on the River Trent, which has been its home since 1898, were the main reason it was keen to find a new venue.

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

We recognise there are engineering solutions to these things in this day and age Allen Graham

Officials admitted the Holme Pierrepont site was on a flood plain deemed unsuitable for housing - but said this did not make the idea unworkable.

Rushcliffe Borough Council's chief executive Allen Graham recognised there were "a number of hurdles" before the plan could become reality.

"It is important that the people sign up for the vision, I think that is the first thing to say.

"In the longer term - when the plans come in - obviously because it is on a flood plain it would have to be looked at very carefully.

"But we recognise there are engineering solutions to these things in this day and age and that is something that would have to be looked at."

The stadium would be part of a bid to attract the 2018 World Cup to England.

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.

A new bridge over the River Trent is also thought to be necessary for a successful project, Forest officials have suggested.

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