THE row between Nottingham City and Notts County Council revolves around the possibility of a new stadium for Nottingham Forest at Gamston, a prize the city council would like but a step too far for Notts County Council.

It reminds me of the days when David Bookbinder was the left-wing leader of Derbyshire County Council, then held by Labour and Nick Brown was the Conservative leader of Derby City Council. Toyota was known to want a car plant in the UK and many counties were considered including Nottinghamshire but no site proved available. David Bookbinder, however, was determined to find the space and against all odds managed to push the development through at Burnaston Airfield.

Now an established car plant, it employs some 4,000 workers and is an economic success.

Are there other parallels?

Gamston is now the subject of intense pressure to be designated a development site, not only to house a new stadium but also to include the necessary ancillary development.

This could include a media centre, parking, hotel and other commercial activities and also a substantial amount of housing at a cost of at least £100m at today's prices.

It would be partly funded by the profit from the development of land for some 3,500 to 4,000 homes.

It would seem to me that if the project had been for the same number of houses but without a stadium, the likelihood of a successful planning application would have been doubtful. Even when sites were being looked at for eco-towns this particular area was not in the original ten.

Comments made by the public on the Evening Post's own web site thisisnottingham.co.uk show the confusion of those who favour a city or county location but the fundamental truth of the matter is that the planning process has been by-passed in favour of expediency in putting forward a policy that would sway those who decide these matters in FIFA.

Under normal circumstances the whole planning process would take at least two years with a planning application and the possibility of a call-in by Government in view of the magnitude of the application before a ministerial decision would be made.

However one looks at this proposal to go to Gamston, it seems premature and has not been followed through in a proper manner. As the stadium would not be required until 2018 there is time to deal with the planning aspects, but would FIFA go along with the proposal pending planning and financial arrangements being finalised.

I believe the city has been heavy handed in using its influence on Rushcliffe to accept the proposals without the city and Forest carrying out consultation on such a large-scale development.

Now Neil Clarke, leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, has stated that, following their own consultation with those who live around the proposed site, the council cannot continue to support the bid. In any event their position as the planning authority might well have caused a conflict of interest should they receive an application to develop a new stadium.