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Forest Green Rovers' Dale Vince says he is 'really pleased' a date for a public enquiry has been arranged regarding the club's proposed new stadium.

Permission to build the ground, a 5,000-seater wooden complex on fields off junction 13 of the M5, was refused earlier this year.

Councillors voted against the plans at a meeting in June by a majority of three, amid concerns the facility would not provide enough for the local community.

But now Mr Vince will have the chance to get the project reconsidered when it is looked into in further detail next year.

The date for the enquiry has been set for February 18.

He said on Facebook: "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."

The plans include 1,700 spaces for cars and two full-sized grass pitches.

The stadium was planned to fit the club's ambitions to elevate to the Championship, and was hoped to be completed ready for the 2023/24 football season.

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.