STOP THE STADIUM - KEEP THE GAP

The stadium proposal comes hot on the heels of Cherwell District Council (CDC) permitting 4,400 new houses to be built on Green Belt around Kidlington in the next couple of years.

Around half of these will be built in the Kidlington Gap.

A stadium on the Triangle means merging with Oxford City.

The Friends of Stratfield Brake formed  in 2022 to oppose Oxfordshire  County Council's (OCC's) proposal to allow Oxford United Football Club  (OUFC) to build an 18,000+  stadium and associated commercial development on  Stratfield Brake and/or the Triangle.

Residents in Kidlington and the North Oxford  area have good reasons for saying a stadium in the 'Kidlington Gap' is unacceptable.  The land in question is designated as Green Belt. It is not  included for development in the local plan.  OCC's proposal is completely against  both local and national planning policy. 

Many  other objections include the loss of recreational facilities, traffic,  parking, noise,  plus the damaging effect on the Nature Reserve, drainage issues etc. OUFC's own consultants admit that there will be a loss of biodiversity.  A new stadium to replace the relatively new Kassam Stadium CANNOT achieve net zero.

There was also the logistical difficulty of the long lease on  Stratfield Brake being held by Kidlington and Gosford & Water Eaton  Parish Councils.  We believe it was this that led to OCC's statement  regarding "considerable challenges associated with Stratfield Brake" and  their decision to offer OUFC the Triangle site instead.  The Parish  Councils do not have a lease on the Triangle so it is under OCC's control.

OCC IS DELIBERATELY IGNORING LOCAL OPINION.

IT IS  IMPOSING THE STADIUM  ON UNWILLING COMMUNITIES.

IT FAILS TO PROPERLY INFORM RESIDENTS.

IT WILL NOT HOLD AN APPROPRIATE LOCAL CONSULTATION.
IT IS SURRENDERING COMMUNITY ASSETS TO A COMMERICIAL ENTERPRISE

OCC was right to withdraw the offer of Stratfield Brake but totally wrong  to offer the Triangle as an alternative.  Most of the same  limitations and concerns apply to the Triangle.  Over 2,000 homes are  going to be built in the immediate area and over 4,500 are planned in total for the wider area. 

• deliberately ignoring local opinion.
• trying to impose the stadium on unwilling communities.
• failing to properly inform residents.
• refusing to hold an appropriate local consultation.
• negotiating to surrender priceless community assets to a commercial enterprise.

We will continue to oppose a stadium on the Triangle and other local Green Belt  sites  for as long as it  takes!

STOP THE STADIUM - KEEP THE GAP GREEN

The Friends of Stratfield Brake:

• object to a  massive stadium and commercial development in the Kidlington Gap;
• argue to keep publicly-owned Green Belt space accessible to all and a home for local grassroots sport;
• consider the County shoud focus on the benefit and needs of the local community; and
• encourage the councils involved to work with OUFC to find a solution which doesn’t destroy yet more Green Belt and risk traffic chaos / other problems in our local area.
• hold the elected public authority decision-makers to account to the affected communities

As a self-formed group representing the community, we clearly cannot compete with the financial resources of a commercial organisation with a large fan base but we are determined to make our voices heard. 

Our supporters include football fans who sympathise with OUFC’s plight, but firmly believe the Stratfield Brake /  Triangle area not the right solution. 

To run an effective campaign, we need as much support as possible. If you want to Stop the Stadium and Keep the Gap Green  please join our mailing list.