Oxford United has agreed to an extension granted by local authorities to allow further review of the application for a new stadium. The club announced that it had accepted a request from Cherwell District Council for additional time, meaning a decision on the project will not be made before June.

Club representatives reassure fans

The proposal involves building a 16,000-seat stadium at a site known as The Triangle, near Kidlington. The club stated that such requirements reflect the complex nature of planning applications for large-scale projects of this type. Last summer, Oxford United representatives assured fans that a decision would be made in early 2025, but in its latest statement, the club tempered expectations, emphasizing that this timeline was always subject to change.

Jonathon Clarke, Oxford United’s Development Director, reassured fans that extensions like this are a common practice. We continue to have positive meetings with key stakeholders and fully appreciate the need to ensure everything is in place for a favourable decision to be made, he added. The statement also highlighted that the new stadium would bring significant economic and social benefits to Oxfordshire, including job creation, increased tourism, and improved transport infrastructure. Oxford United New Stadium design focuses on fan experience, inclusivity, and sustainability.

© AFL Architects / Oxford United

Was Oxford United’s application insufficiently prepared?

However, Suzanne McIvor of the environmental organization Friends of Stratfield Brake offered a less optimistic perspective: OUFC is putting an extraordinarily positive spin on a planning application that was poorly prepared and which, from the outset, failed to address key planning issues, She believes the club must take responsibility for the delay, which, in her view, results from its inability to provide Cherwell District Council with the necessary information on time.

At the same time, Oxford United also announced that it is in advanced discussions regarding temporary solutions for the period between the expiration of its lease at Kassam Stadium in 2026 and the opening of the new facility.

© AFL Architects / Oxford United