Council votes to support Oxford United football stadium plan

Councillors discussed a motion put forward by the Labour group "expressing support for proposals for a new stadium at Stratfield Brake" at a full council meeting on Monday (July 15).

The Labour group said at the meeting they had amended the motion to read 'the Triangle' as the stadium is no longer planned for Stratfield Brake.

Planned stadium. (Image: Oxford United)

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This comes as the club has submitted its planning application for a 16,000-capacity stadium at the site, south of Kidlington Roundabout, with its licence agreement at the Kassam Stadium running out in 2026.

Speaking at the meeting, motion proposer Mary Clarkson said: "It could not be more timely to be suggesting the importance of football and sport in bringing communities together.

"I have received emails from across the county from fans who want to urge support of this motion.

Mary Clarkson. (Image: Other.)

"For Oxford United to flourish it needs to have a decent stadium."

Motion seconder Ed Turner added he had "all sorts of Oxford United memories" and that the football club was "constrained by the fact they don't own their own stadium".

The comments come amid a lengthy process to secure planning permission and other legal permissions at the site.

Some groups and politicians have expressed opposition to the stadium.

Kidlington Green councillor Ian Middleton says the stadium is for "Oxford United" not "Oxfordshire United" and suggests there could be a real danger of Kidlington simply becoming a "suburb of Oxford".

The full city council meeting at Oxford Town Hall. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

Organisations such as the Friends of Stratfield Brake oppose the stadium as the land it would be built on is designated as Green Belt and they fear "loss of recreational facilities, traffic, parking, noise, plus the damaging effect on the Nature Reserve".

At Monday's meeting, the Green group on the city council abstained on the motion.

St Mary's ward representative Emily Kerr said: "I share many of the sentiments expressed tonight and Oxford United clearly needs a new home.

"It concerns me that Strafield Brake was repeatedly mentioned in all the documents.

"I think that’s a serious oversight in something as important as this

"I’m not sure of the appropriateness of us making a decision about something so serious that has firstly been presented erroneously and secondly is not in our jurisdiction."

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats voted for the motion with group leader Dr Chris Smowton saying he was "delighted" to support it.

Liberal Democrat Jo Sandelson had initially said she was "not anti-football in any way" and can "sing the whole of the Chelsea team football song".

Jo Sandelson. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

The Wolvercote representative added: "Definitely thumbs up to Oxford United relocating so I’m absolutely in support in that sense as long as there are good public transport links in place

"Let’s go for it."

But Ms Sandelson later abstained from voting on the motion.

The Green group also abstained as did Independent Oxford Alliance councillor Judith Harley, though IOA councillors Anne Stares and David Henwood both supported it.

All other councillors voted in favour.