Football club's stadium move backed by councillors

Fans gathered outside Oxford Town Hall - where Monday's meeting was held - after the club's promotion in May

Oxford councillors have backed a plan for Oxford United's new stadium that could see it based outside the city.

They voted in favour of a motion tabled by Labour member Mary Clarkson to "support" the Championship club's proposal on Monday.

The potential move to a new £130m, 16,000-capacity ground at the Triangle, near Kidlington, would move it into Cherwell district.

A planning application could be decided by Cherwell District Council early next year.

A planning application for the new stadium is expected to be decided next year

The club has said it must move from the Kassam Stadium, in the south of Oxford, when its lease runs out in summer 2026. It has played there since it opened in 2001.

It is owned by Firoka, a company operated by the club’s former owner Firoz Kassam.

Thousands of United fans gathered in Oxford city centre and outside Oxford Town Hall - where Monday's city council meeting was held - following the club's promotion from League One in May.

Oxford United said it must move out of the Kassam Stadium by summer 2026

Ms Clarkson said the authority wants the club to do well and to be “secure in a new stadium which offers a lot of improvements”.

“This is an issue for the city and for the whole county,” she added.

Paul Peros, the chairman of the OxVox independent supporters’ trust, told councillors the new stadium could improve infrastructure and bring “vitality to the area”.

He said the club and councils “can’t let the vocal minority rob us of that chance”.

Opponents worry about the loss of green belt land at the Triangle, traffic and pollution.

Oxfordshire County Council has provisionally agreed to lease the Triangle to the club and an agreement between the parties was published earlier this month.

The U’s have agreed to submit a separate planning application for a bridge that supporters could use from Oxford Parkway station to the Triangle site.