Oxford United are delighted that officers are recommending that Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet authorise permission to negotiate an In Principle Agree with the club at their meeting on the 15th March.
We strongly believe that our aspirations for the site can not only meet, but significantly exceed the priorities of Oxfordshire’s Fair Deal Alliance and this decision will form an important first step in securing the future of a much loved community asset, one that is anchored in the heart of Oxfordshire’s sporting and cultural legacy.
We wish to thank our fans, local residents and stakeholders for participating in what was a far reaching and through consultation.
Whilst support amongst the fanbase could be argued to be expected, it is worth noting that over a third of residents directly local to the proposed site who participated in the consultation also expressed their support.
The club thanks all who responded to the consultation and looks forward to directly addressing points raised as we work through the next steps of the process, including as part of the eventual pre-application consultation process.
As we have stated before, should Cabinet choose to move forward with their officers' recommendation, this is merely the first step in a long road, and we look forward to working in tandem with our fans, local residents and community stakeholders to bring forward our proposals in a manner which matches our aspirations for the club whilst also minimising any potential impact to local residents.