Forest Green Rovers 'Eco Park' stadium designs down to two

Zaha Hadid architects said their design includes timber which "embodies the virtues of beauty and sustainability" in the unique Stroud

Two designs have been selected for a new 5,000 capacity stadium for Forest Green Rovers in Gloucestershire.

Almost 50 designs from architects in the UK, France, Sweden, Germany and the US were submitted as part of a competition.

The stadium is to be the centrepiece of a £100m sports and green technology business park proposal, next to junction 13 of the M5.

The winning design is due to be unveiled in September.

Glenn Howells Architects, which designed Gloucester Services on the M5, said it will be a "truly innovative and ground breaking stadium"

Zaha Hadid Architects, responsible for the 2012 London Olympic Aquatic Centre, and Glenn Howells Architects, which designed Gloucester Services on the M5, were selected from nine shortlisted candidate.

Forest Green Rovers' chairman and Ecotricity founder Dale Vince, said it had been a "very difficult process" narrowing it down from nine to two.

"The diversity and quality of the designs was outstanding," he said.

"In the two finalists, we have one from a globally renowned practice and the other designed by an architect that created the award-winning Gloucester services right on our doorstep."

A planning application was submitted for the development in January, but is not due to be looked at by council planners until the autumn.