Oxford residents close to new stadium not biggest fans

The council is considering leasing the club an area located south of Kidlington roundabout for a new stadium

Less than half of people living within two miles of a proposed new football stadium think it meets the council's criteria for the plans, a survey shows.

Oxford United Football Club wants to build a new 16,000 capacity stadium for when the lease on their current home Kassam Stadium runs out in 2026.

Some 5,441 people and organisations responded to a consultation on the site, south of Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

The county council is considering leasing the land to the football club.

The club also wants to build a 200-bedroom hotel, restaurant and café on the site, which is known as the "Triangle".

It is the second piece of land to be considered for the facility, the site is in the greenbelt north of Oxford and south of the Kidlington roundabout, opposite Oxford Parkway Station.

The authority set out seven priorities for the project, including maintaining a green barrier between Kidlington and Oxford and improving facilities for local sports groups.

In its survey, the council asked for feedback on how well the club's proposal for the site met each of its seven criteria.

In Oxfordshire as a whole, between 50 and 60% of residents who responded felt the proposals met each priority.

But figures were lower for those with a postcode within a two-mile radius of the site, falling to between 19% and 40%.

Oxford United currently play at the Kassam Stadium but the club's lease is due to run out in 2026

More than two thirds of those who responded live in the county and 53% said they were supporters of the club.

The proposals have been controversial. In May a parish poll was held in Kidlington asking if the parish council should support the plan.

The consultation has had a legal challenge issued over it by campaign group Friends of Stratfield Brake.

The group has issued a pre-action letter to a judicial review, claiming the consultation, which ended on 23 July, was unlawful.

Martin Reeves, chief executive of Oxfordshire County Council, said it is one of the "most comprehensive" engagement exercises for a land transaction "as important as this one" and that it was important to show the "methodology, the robustness" and to "be really balanced… that some are significantly in favour and others locally who don't have the same positive views".

The county council's cabinet will make a decision over whether to lease the land on 19 September.

If a lease is agreed, a planning application will need to be submitted to Cherwell District Council, which will have the final say.

The BBC has approached the football club for comment.