Kay Cutts, the Leader of the County Council, said the authority "cannot remain part of the bid" if a site at Gamston is the only option for a proposed stadium, for which she was not consulted, she claims.
 

Officials at County Hall want to redevelop City Ground, the home of two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest, for the bid, even though organisers claim that it is not suitable.
 

Cutts said: "The withdrawal of support is due to the refusal to look at any other options but the Green Belt Gamston site.

"It has been a difficult decision and we have considered all options.
 

"I still hold hope that the City Council and Forest will change their minds, the door will always be open for future discussions.
 

"I still firmly believe that if we can work together, we can make Notts' World Cup ambition come to fruition."

The Conservative Leader claims the bid team ignored the views of residents and Forest fans in rejecting a redevelopment of the City Ground.

She said: "When I heard this announcement last Monday, I made immediate efforts to try and get the bid back on track.
 

"I was very glad that all partners accepted our invitation to meet last Friday and found the discussions amicable.
 

"I had hoped the City Council and Forest would agree to progress the bid on the existing City Ground.

"Since that meeting I have been met by complete resistance to any ambition to make the City Ground work."

The proposed Gamston stadium would seat 45,000 people and be the new home of Nottingham Forest.

It would also be part of a major housing development.
 

Nottingham World Cup bid claim the County Council is represented on the 2018 World Cup team and the bid was sent to the Football Association more than a week before the Gamston plans were announced.

They had ruled out Holme Pierrepont because of concerns over flooding and the City Ground because of a feasibility study by Forest.

Cutts said the Gamston proposal lacks transport links and would harm business near the City Ground (pictured) and Trent Bridge.
 

She said: "It was a manifesto pledge of ours to protect the Green Belt.

"It was written down in our manifesto and I see no reason to say we won't protect it."

Nottinghamshire County Council chief executive Mick Burrows said: "We are not walking away from the bid simply to walk away.

"We are walking away because the bid is fixed on Gamston at this particular time."

The FA are due to choose up to 12 cities from 16 candidates by December that will form part of England's World Cup bid.

With so much choice, it would seem unlikely that they would choose a city where there was not total political support for any proposal, especially when it involved building a new stadium.


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