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Poppies in a field

Survey

Background information 

We encourage you to read this important background information before having your say in this survey. 

Introduction 

Oxford United Football Club (OUFC) has asked Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), as the landowner, to lease 18 hectares/44.48 acres of land that it owns at Stratfield Brake in Kidlington for a term of 250 years. This request is for the proposed development of a new football stadium, subject to planning permission. In addition to the stadium, the club’s proposal includes facilities such as a hotel, retail, conferencing and training and community grounds.

Under the terms of the proposal, if the County Council, as landowner, were to approve the lease of land, planning permission would have to be obtained separately. Oxfordshire County Council would be a statutory consultee in various capacities (such as the highways authority), in any planning application.

About the land

Oxfordshire County Council purchased part of the land at Stratfield Brake in 1937 to provide a strategic gap between north Oxford and Kidlington. The site is in the Green Belt and is currently leased out to three tenants. These are Cherwell District Council (who in turn sub-lease to Kidlington Parish Council and Water Eaton and Gosford Parish Council), Foxcotte Fencing Limited and The Woodland Trust.

How the land is currently used 

  • Part of the site is already sports ground. OUFC has proposed that they take responsibility for the cost to replace or mitigate the loss of any community sports facilities at Stratfield Brake should its proposal for development go ahead.
  • Part of the site is currently let on a short-term basis to Foxcotte Fencing Limited, with the council having the ability to break the lease on 12 months’ notice.

Part of the site is leased to the Woodland Trust. Taking account of the council’s commitment to Access to Nature, one of the Oxfordshire Fair Deal Alliance Cabinet’s nine priorities, the County Council is not prepared to give up its current lease to the Woodland Trust. It is therefore NOT INCLUDED in any discussions whatsoever and is not part of any proposal by OUFC being considered.