Bethan Nimmo
BBC Radio Oxford

Adrian Sutton, from the Friends of Stratfield Brake, says his group is objecting on "three critical grounds: greenbelt policy, public safety and ecological harm".

He says there is "no evidence" the club has tried to stay at the Kassam.

"There is no quantified modelling of crowd movement, no evacuation plan, no engagement with emergency services," he says.

"The need to relocate is unproven, public safety has not been considered and the application does not take the precautionary approach required by Natural England."

Image source, PA Media

Bethan Nimmo
BBC Radio Oxford

Tim Williams, chief executive of Oxford United, says the application is "about pride, it's about purpose, it's about the future of this club and our county".

He says the stadium plans are "capable of changing lives".

"We've submitted every assessment, responded to every question, listened," he adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Katharine Da Costa
BBC South

Green Party councillor Linda Ward, who represents Kidlington East, tells the meeting two thirds of residents are opposed to the plans.

She says there are flaws in the modelling that overstate the benefits and understate the harm.

The stadium would "destroy the greenbelt, lead to urban sprawl, would be open 24/7 365 days a year", she says.

Ms Ward ends by asking the councillors to open their eyes to see "this emperor has no clothes".

"If you allow the bull into the china shop make sure you have it by the nose," she adds.

Principal planning officer Laura Bell is now summing up the conclusion that officers have come to.

A slide says: "Officers have concluded that very special circumstances to justify this proposed development have been demonstrated."

Bethan Nimmo
BBC Radio Oxford

Roads around the site are now being discussed - a key consideration as many objections centre around traffic concerns.

Principal planning officer Laura Bell says key routes around the site will see "increased pressure" from proposed development and other strategic sites.

Oxford Road is expected to be temporarily closed - for 35 minutes pre and post match - for the safety of its supporters.

The proposals for dealing with traffic issues include:

• Enhancing public transport
• Prioritising active travel with new cycle lanes, footways and crossings
• Variable Message Signs and crowd management

The highways authority (Oxfordshire County Council) says there will be an impact, but it could not be considered "severe", in part because it's out of network peak hours and for a relatively short period of time.

Ms Bell tells the meeting that, therefore, the local highways authority and National Highways do not object.

Image source, Google

Oxford United has repeatedly said that moving to a new stadium is critical to its future and that it would provide clear benefits to the community.

The club's development director Jonathon Clarke previously said the new complex would be "about more than football" and would "deliver huge value to our local communities and beyond".

A gym, restaurant, health clinic and 180-bedroom hotel could be built as part of the stadium project.

In April, the club's CEO chief executive Tim Williams said without a new stadium, its existence would be at risk.

Image source, OUFC

Katharine Da Costa
BBC South

In her presentation, Ms Bell has highlighted that the height, scale and size of the buildings would have a "significant impact on visual look of the site".

She added that ecologists had raised concerns that there would be a loss of habitat for some of the diverse species of bats that call the area home.

However she said the effect on ecology was not considered significant.

Image source, Friends of Stratfield Brake

Bethan Nimmo
BBC Radio Oxford

There are 18 councillors attending that will vote on the plan today.

They have to decide if this application meets the "very special circumstances" required for building on the green belt.

Green belts are placed around urban areas in order to stop "urban sprawl" and, in this case, Kidlington and Oxford merging.

Some of the arguments in favour have been set out in a presentation by officers, including:

• The need for Oxford United to relocate from the Kassam Stadium
• Financial sustainability of the club owning its own stadium
• Lack of alternative sites
• The importance of keeping OUFC in the local area
• Benefits for fans
• Benefits for women's football / the club
• Other community benefits
• Sustainable design and operational benefits

Chris McHugh
BBC Radio Oxford

It may not look like much now, but this could be the site that changes the future of Oxford United.

Behind me, traffic is flowing down the Oxford Road beside Oxford Parkway station. Should the new stadium get the go ahead, thousands of football fans will descend here by road and by rail to watch their team on weekends.

There is opposition to the project from locals who fear Kidlington will be overwhelmed, and vociferous support from fans desperate to leave the Kassam Stadium behind.

Tonight’s decision will be closely watched by people - whatever their stake in the decision.

Ms Bell, who is the council's principal planning officer, has read out a statement from Natural England.

It said its conclusion about whether woodland nearby should be designated as "ancient" was the "same as before".

It said the evidence was not "strong enough to consider it as ancient woodland".

However it did advise the council to "take a precautionary approach... to prevent habitat loss".

The meeting at Cherwell District Council's offices in Banbury has got under way, starting with a presentation from planning officer Laura Bell.

Any move to the Triangle would see Oxford United leave the Kassam Stadium, its home since 2001.

In some ways, the move there was even more protracted than the current saga.

Planning permission was granted in November 1995 and building eventually started in August 1996. But that December, builders downed tools on the part-built complex after a dispute.

Work only continued in 2000 with new contractors after deals were brokered by new owner Firoz Kassam.

Seen by many at the time as the club's saviour, he ensured the stadium was finished - albeit with three stands - and named it after himself to provide his long-term commitment.

His company Firoka still owns the Kassam. The site is earmarked by Oxford City Council for potential housing if and when the club moves out.

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United would move out of Oxford and into Cherwell district for the first time if the new stadium is built.

But Oxford East's MP Anneliese Dodds, who would see the club move out of her constituency, has supported its proposal.

She said in March that the club's "exciting proposal...must go forward".

It has taken more than three years for Oxford United to get to this point.

The U's initially proposed their new stadium for Stratfield Brake, near Kidlington, in early 2022, a stone's throw away from the Triangle site.

But after discussions, Oxfordshire County Council agreed last year that the Triangle was more suitable and terms were formally agreed in April 2024.

Any development has been fiercely opposed by some residents and groups, but Cherwell District Council planning officers have said it should proceed.

Image source, Google

Jerome Sale
BBC Radio Oxford commentator

Join me on BBC Radio Oxford from 16:00 BST for a dedicated programme as Cherwell District Council's special planning committee decides whether to grant planning permission for Oxford United to build the 16,000-seater stadium at The Triangle near Kidlington.

Hello and welcome to the BBC's live coverage of the long-awaited decision over planning permission for Oxford United's proposed new stadium.