Officers recommend approval for new Oxford football stadium

Officers at Oxfordshire County Council are recommending approval for Oxford United to use county council-owned land known as ‘the Triangle’ near Kidlington to build a new stadium.

But if the council’s Cabinet approve the lease or sale of the land to the football club at its meeting on September 19, Oxford United would still need to seek planning approval from Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority.

The officer recommendation also comes with a qualification that the football club must produce a net-zero plan that is fully costed and comes with clear timescales and outcomes from design, construction and full operation of the stadium.

The recommendation for approval also includes the requirement for covenants that would set aside the use of the land for football/community sports and leisure/sports stadia in perpetuity, with limited ancillary commercial use within the stadium footprint.

Oxfordshire County Council Chief Executive Martin Reeves said: “Officers have made a recommendation for approval having looked carefully at a range of different information, including the views provided to us by those who took the time and care to respond. There are conditions attached to those recommendations including a net-zero requirement.

“It is now for cabinet members to debate this in public on 19 September and come to a final decision.

“They will no doubt look carefully at the results of engagement with the public and stakeholders during both 2022 and 2023. This has been extensive and thorough and the county council would once again like to sincerely thank everyone who has taken part for sharing their views.

“It should be stressed that, in the event that cabinet ultimately decides to approve the use of the land for the football club to build a new stadium, Oxford United would still need to seek planning approval from Cherwell District Council as the local planning authority.”

Oxfordshire United Football Club (OUFC) approached Oxfordshire County Council in late 2021 with a proposal to build a new football stadium on council-owned land near Kidlington. The club has confirmed it must find a new home by the start of the 2026/27 season as its licence agreement at the Kassam Stadium expires in 2026.

The Kassam Stadium is owned and operated privately by a stadium company “Firoka (Oxford United Stadium) Limited”. The stadium company is separate from the football club and owned by Firoz Kassam. Oxford United holds a license to use the stadium which ends on the 30^th June 2026.

Oxford United are restricted under the terms of the current licence agreement to use the Kassam Stadium for first team home league and cup matches, some friendly games and specified testimonial games. Oxford United have use of some office space and the ticket office at the stadium and are not permitted to use the rest of the stadium outside of those allowed match days.

Oxford United Football Club is owned by Thai businessman Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth, Entrepreneur and investor Horst Geicke, Supranee Piamph, and Indonesian businessmen Erick Thohir and Anindya Bakrie.