Part of Oxford United’s car park could continue to be used for motorcycle testing, after a planning application was submitted to the council.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has applied to continue using Kassam Stadium’s car park to the west of the site for motorcycle testing and training.

The application to Oxford City Council's planning committee is asking to use the site for a temporary period of two years, and also requests using part of the stadium for storage and an office.

The application will be considered this evening by the committee (April, 18).

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The car park is used for Oxford United’s home games but has also been used for car boot sales and conferences in the past.

The initial application submitted by the DVSA asked for permission to use the car park for motorcycle training and testing permanently.

However, the car park had already been marked as an allocated site for residential development as part of a Local Plan and so the application was subsequently amended.

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This is not the first time the DVSA has requested to use the car park for motorcycle training and testing, as the same application for temporary use was submitted in 2008, 2016 and 2020.

The applicant has highlighted that permission to continue using Kassam Stadium’s car park for motorcycle training is important, as it means that residents don’t have to “travel further afield for motorcycle training and testing” as the next nearest test facility is in Swindon.