Oxford United Football Club received final government approval of its plans for a new 16,000 capacity stadium last Wednesday, clearing the way for construction near Kidlington.
The approval came as a relief to Oxford United, whose lease at Kassam Stadium is set to expire in June 2028. Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, announced that he would not call the stadium plan for a further review after the Cherwell District Council approved it in August.
Oxford United chairman Grant Ferguson: “On behalf of everyone at Oxford United, I would like to thank all of our supporters, along with the incredible project team who have been instrumental in getting us to this point.”
Oxfordshire County Council, which owns the land, agreed to the site based on several conditions and priorities. Among these, the Council called for the stadium to protect “a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington” and develop “local employment opportunities”.
“We hope that the stadium can now go ahead as speedily as possible,” wrote Oxfordshire MPs Aneeliese Dodds and Sean Woodcock on social media. “The new stadium is needed not only for the sake of Oxford United and its many fans but also for the local economy.”
Student sports enthusiasts have celebrated the decision. A spokesperson for Oxford University Association Football Club (OUAFC) told Cherwell: “OUAFC is thrilled about the development of the new Oxford United Football Stadium. As a university football club, we are uniquely integrated into the wider Oxford football community — with Oxford United players and coaches having long been an integral part of our own.”
OUAFC are also keen for the new stadium to be made available for student fixtures: “The prospect of access to this premier facility, particularly for our Varsity matches against Cambridge, is incredibly exciting. Last year, we were unable to host the Blues Varsity in Oxford due to the lack of suitable facilities for back-to-back fixtures. This new development therefore represents an exciting opportunity not only to bring Varsity football back home to Oxford, but also to share this special occasion with the broader Oxford community.”
The stadium will be the first in the UK to run entirely on electricity. Its design includes 3000 m2 of solar panels on the roof and air source heat pumps, instead of gas boilers, to minimise carbon emissions. The plan was shortlisted for the Football Business Awards’ sustainability category in March.
Stadium construction has been planned on land known as the Triangle, south of Kidlington roundabout and east of Frieze Way. The complex will include a community centre and Radisson Blu Hotel.
The complex would enable Oxford United Women’s Football Club to regularly play at a home stadium for the first time in their history. Prior to that, licence agreement restrictions prevented Oxford United Women’s from joining the men’s team for regular play at Kassam Stadium.
Grace Bailey, an ambassador for anti-sexism football campaign Her Game Too, lent her support to the scheme in May. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to harmonise the training and playing operations of the club’s men’s and women’s teams,” she said.
Kidlington residents have been less enthusiastic about the development plans. Only 31% of residents voted for the plan in a 2023 poll by Kidlington Parish Council, though the poll saw low turnout.
