EFL gives Eco Park the go-ahead

Eco Park took another small but significant step towards becoming a reality this week as the EFL approved Forest Green Rovers' move to the new ground. The world’s greenest football club is another step closer to building the world’s greenest football stadium.

FGR Chairman Dale Vince said: “This is fab news and another small but big step for Eco Park.”

Situated next to Junction 13 of the M5, the 5,000-seat stadium will be easier for fans to access than The New Lawn, and will be built entirely from wood using environmentally friendly construction methods. Powered using renewable energy generated by Ecotricity, it will have on-site charging for EVs and the surrounding meadows, trees and hedgerows will boost local biodiversity.

Visually stunning, the stadium has been designed by renowned architectural practice Zaha Hadid.

Next steps...

The next step for FGR is to draw up detailed designs of the stadium its surroundings that incorporate the 30 planning conditions we need to adhere to. Local plan and land employment reviews also need to be carried out. Once construction begins, it will take about two years to build the stadium.

This is fab news and another small but big step for Eco Park.

In the same way that the team is showing resilience on the pitch, Dale Vince, FGR and Ecotricity have been working hard off it to keep the project on track. Although plans were finally approved by Stroud District Council in December 2019, local MP Siobahn Baillie attempted to use the stadium as a political football by kicking it over to Minister for Housing Robert Jenrick for review. Although his department rejected the request, the process ate up another three months.

Endorsement from the EFL means that we can take the next steps that will make it possible to start building our new home. Exciting news for both the club and its fans.