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Forest Green Rovers could have its new 5,000-seat wooden stadium approved before Christmas.

A Stroud District Council spokesman confirmed a second attempt to determine the football club's eco-friendly stadium, planned to be built next of J13 of the M5, is expected to be held on December 18.

The authority's development control committee rejected the League Two side's proposed arena in June by a majority of three, over concerns of noise, traffic, and the impact on the landscape and the local community.

The football stadium near Stroud would have also included a 1,700-space car park and two grass training pitches.

Club chairman Dale Vince had hoped the "sustainable stadium", designed by Zaha Hadid, would allow his team to aim for promotion, and said during the council meeting it would bring employment and investment opportunities to Stroud.

Mr Vince revealed earlier this month the inquiry date that could see his first attempt to receive permission for the stadium, which was lost, overturned.

The appeal is scheduled for February 2020, and if councillors refuse the stadium again next month but a Planning Inspector approves the appeal, it would mean the arena would go-ahead and the district council would be hit with costs.

Writing on Facebook on November 5, Mr Vince said: "The latest view from the council is that there will be a meeting in late December to have a second go at this - but with Xmas so close and an election taking place that month, I’m not convinced that date will stick. In which case we’re into January.

"We were eating into the time limit for the appeal, that’s why we submitted it. We’d also like this resolved.

"The outlook in July was that it would take 12 months or more for the appeal or 3 months or so for the resubmission, making the decision to go for the resubmission seem obvious.

"In August the process changed, and the appeal timetable moved to a super rapid 3 to 4 months - if I’d have known that then, I think we would probably have appealed, for the certainty and short timeframe.

"Eco Park has been in planning now for about five years, it is a little frustrating - though we’re used to having to be patient (our first windmill took five years to get through) and our experience is that when pushing boundaries with new ideas you have to be - the planning system and people fairly generally are conservative (small c), it takes time and patience.

"Additionally, in the background the Local Plan is moving on, Eco Park is now in the Local Plan review process as land suitable for mixed Sports and Employment use - exactly what we’ve been asking for, and not being in the Local Plan has been one of the major arguments holding us up.

"So it’s happening with a combo of an appeal that will be heard in February next year, a second decision that may take place in Dec this year and the land now likely to be in the revised Local Plan anyway (making the current refusal a little ridiculous) - we are making progress.

"I’m most excited by this appeal date, it’s solid and a chance to move on to the next stage."

Forest Green's current ground in Nailsworth, called the New Lawn, is powered by renewable energy, recycles rain water and serves vegan food to players, staff and fans.