FGR to appeal Eco Park refusal

Forest Green Rovers are appealing the decision by Stroud District Council to refuse planning permission for Eco Park on Wednesday night.

Councillors voted against the proposed against the plans to build what would be the greenest football stadium in the world by a majority of three.

A bizarre move by the council

However, chairman Dale Vince has decided to appeal the decision citing the reasons given to dispose of the plans as ‘bizarre’.

At the same time, Forest Green will resubmit the application and the club is already in discussions with the council about some minor changes that could provide more clarity to the proposal.

Designed by world renowned architects Zaha Hadid and made almost entirely out of wood, it’ll be the first of its kind in the world. With a capacity of 5,000, Eco Park, would be sited in parkland where some five hundred trees and 1.8km of new hedgerows would be planted.

The world's greenest football stadium

Forest Green Rovers has done a huge amount to showcase sustainable initiatives at its current ground, The New Lawn, but Eco Park will take sustainable thinking to a new level entirely as well as helping FGR to meet its ambitions on the pitch.

The appeal process could take up to 12 months and we will update fans with any significant movements.