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.

Stratfield Brake (Image: Submit)

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.

Oxford United stadium plans (Image: Fortitude Communications)

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.