Crime & Safety
Legal challenge launched against Oxford United’s new stadium
Friends of Stratfield Brake (FoSB) has launched the legal challenge arguing that Cherwell District Council acted “unlawfully” in approving the development on green belt land.
Permission for the 16,000-seat stadium at the Kidlington Triangle was granted planning permission in August pending several agreements that were finalised in February.
FoSB has consistently raised concerns around the impact on wildlife and aspects of the planned road closures.
Lawyers at Leigh Day, acting for the group, sent a formal pre-action protocol letter setting out its legal objections to the decision.
But Leigh Day said the council “refused” to acknowledge such concerns and now FoSB has now officially filed proceedings seeking permission to apply for a judicial review.
A key issue concerns the council’s alleged treatment of advice from Natural England on the ecological status of woodland at Stratfield Brake.
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Leigh Day said Natural England advised that the evidence as to whether the woodland is ancient was inconclusive and recommended a precautionary approach.
FoSB claims that the council accepted an assumption that extensive traffic management measures could be set up and removed within a very short period of time, despite there being no realistic evidential basis for that conclusion.
FoSB contends that these alleged errors were material to the decision to grant planning permission. The group is seeking to quash the permission.
The case will now proceed to the permission stage, where a judge will decide whether the judicial review should go forward to a full hearing.
FoSB is represented by Ricardo Gama, human rights partner at law firm Leigh Day.
An FoSB representative said: “We have engaged with the council throughout this process and made our concerns clear at every stage, including through formal legal correspondence.
“Unfortunately, those concerns have not been addressed, leaving us with no option but to bring this judicial review.
“We believe the decision is flawed and that the impacts of this development on the adjacent woodland and transport have not been properly considered.”
Mr Gama added: “Our clients felt they had no choice but to file court proceedings because the council has failed to address their concerns over the impact which the stadium development would have on an ecologically important woodland and on local traffic.
“They look forward to putting their arguments to a judge.”
FoSB added it is “extremely grateful to the many people who have supported us” over the past four years which includes £50,000 raised.
“We believe that the local community shares our deep concerns about this project, especially the impact on biodiversity and the lack of any meaningful community benefits,” it said in a statement.
“The section 106 agreement funds seem to be allocated largely to travel infrastructure works which wouldn’t be needed if this project wasn’t being forced upon us.
“We are mindful that judicial review is an uphill battle but feel that this proposal is so egregious we should do everything in our power to try to stop it.”
Oxford United and Cherwell District Council have been approached for further comment.
More follows.
Oxford Stand Up To Racism has accused Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, of inciting the ‘awful violent scenes’ in Southampton on Tuesday night (June 2).
The city where 18-year-old Henry Nowak died and where his killer, Vickrum Digwa, lived became a scene of destruction after hundreds descended to smash car windows, hurl bricks and cause eleven officers and a police dog to be injured.
READ MORE: New date set for Tommy Robinson appearance in Oxford
Following the disorder, the chief of Hampshire police said those involved were ‘determined to spark fear and division’.
Yaxley-Lennon, who has been jailed multiple times for a variety of offences including when he was imprisoned in October 2024 for contempt of caught, addressed the crowd at the riot.
He said: “I heard someone say this wasn’t about race, this is about race.
“A white boy who done nothing was handcuffed, a murderer in possession of a knife who stabbed someone five times isn’t.”
Oxford Stand Up to Racism is now renewing its call for the Oxford Union to withdraw its invitation for the ‘riot agitator’ to speak on June 17 on the subject of Islam.
He was originally due to speak at the historic debating society on Thursday, May 28 before his appearance was postponed over security concerns and after massive backlash.
READ MORE: Major emergency response in Oxford as paramedics on scene
Ian McKendrick, a member of the anti-racism group, said: “Despite Henry Nowak’s family clearly requesting that his death should not be used to promote further hatred, Robinson was at the centre of protests in Southampton last night and clearly inciting violence.
“Giving him a televised platform at the Oxford Union legitimises hate and violence, and gives him the opportunity to incite violence to an audience of millions.
“It does not promote free speech – instead, it promotes fear and intimidation among minoritised communities.
“Already we have seen Oxford fascists alongside Robinson in Southampton and now mobilising to bring more hate onto Oxford’s streets.”
Members of Raise the Colours: Oxfordshire were called to attend the Southampton protest on Tuesday night, with the leader of the group posting on Facebook to ask followers to join the ‘justice for Henry Nowak’ protest.
Mr McKendrick added: “There is a concerted effort by far right leaders and fascist groups to incite outrage and bring people on to the streets to riot.
READ MORE: Traffic chaos in Witney amid report of ‘major incident’
“We risk an explosion of violence similar to what we saw around the Southport murders across the UK.
“We’re calling on Oxford to say a clear ‘no’ to this hate and division by protesting against Yaxley-Lennon’s appearance at the Oxford Union.”
Faith and civic leaders of Oxford already wrote to the Oxford Union asking it to rescind the controversial figure’s invitation, and hundreds have signed an open letter calling for the same.
A reported incident at a junction in Witney is causing traffic chaos in the town, with drivers coming off the A40 and elsewhere stuck in long queues.
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An incident occurred in St Aldate’s, outside the entrance to Christ Church Meadows, at about 4pm on Tuesday, June 2.
At least three ambulances were responding to what appeared to be a medical emergency on the pavement.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire footbridge over A-road a collapse risk for years
An individual was scene on a stretcher being cared for by paramedics.
An eyewitness said the incident occurred opposite the Alice Shop, and the medical teams ‘evacuated’ the person.
Apart from the pavement briefly being blocked while the first responders dealt with the emergency, it did not appear to affect traffic or block the road in busy St Aldate’s.
South Central Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment.
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