Plans agreed for further engagement on Oxford United stadium proposal

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet has received updates on proposals for an Oxford United stadium near Kidlington – including a summary of stakeholder engagement held in April and May and plans for public engagement in June and July.

The proposal is for the stadium to be located on council-owned land, known as “the Triangle” located east of Frieze Way and south of the Kidlington roundabout.

Cllr Calum Miller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “We are committed to taking decision on this proposal in an open and transparent way, with the help of comments and engagement from stakeholders and members of the public. I’d like to thank the organisations who have attended meetings with us and responded constructively to our engagement. This process has been separate to the engagement activities of the football club.

“We asked OUFC to supply us with information of a level of quality, detail and commitment that would allow us – and members of the public – to take a view on whether or not our strategic objectives for any use of OCC land had been met. We hope to receive such information in the next fortnight. If so, we will be undertaking further public and stakeholder engagement during June and July. This would include an online survey and public exhibitions.

“The feedback we receive from residents and stakeholders will help inform our decision making. That timetable would allow the cabinet to make a final decision in September on whether or not to lease or sell the land to the club for the development of a stadium.”

Details of what was discussed by cabinet at its May 23 meeting can be found in the report.

Detail can also be found on the themes that emerged during engagement that took place in May and April as well as how further engagement will happen during June and July.

If a decision were made by cabinet to make available the land to OUFC for development of a new stadium, formal consultation would be required to take place as part of a statutory planning process that would be conducted by Cherwell District Council as planning authority.

A dedicated page has been published on the county council’s website as regards the proposals: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/stadium