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Oxford United's proposed new stadium has cleared the first hurdle in a High Court battle, but campaigners opposing the development have vowed to continue their legal challenge.
A judge has refused an initial application for a judicial review of the planning decision, although opponents of the 16,000-seat project will now seek an oral permission hearing.
Local community group continues to battle new Oxford United stadium proposal
Friends of Stratfield Brake (FoSB), a community group based near Kidlington, is seeking to block Oxford United's plans to build a new stadium on green belt land at the Triangle site next to Oxford Parkway.
The proposed development would include a 16,000-seat stadium alongside a hotel, restaurant, gym and other facilities, with the club describing the project as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity.
Planning permission was granted earlier this year following approval from Cherwell District Council and the government. However, FoSB subsequently launched judicial review proceedings in the High Court, arguing that the decision was unlawful and raising concerns over the potential impact on woodland, wildlife, roads and surrounding open space.
A High Court judge has now refused the group's initial application for permission to proceed with a full judicial review on the papers. However, FoSB insists the legal battle is not over and plans to request an oral permission hearing, where its barrister can argue the case in person.
The campaign group has raised questions over advice from Natural England concerning whether part of nearby Stratfield Brake could qualify as ancient woodland. It has also challenged assumptions surrounding matchday road closures, traffic management and parking.
The U's maintain that the new stadium is crucial to the club's long-term future, with their lease at the Kassam Stadium due to expire in 2028.
The club has continued to argue that the Triangle project would deliver investment, improved facilities and wider benefits for the local community.
The next permission hearing is expected to take place later this month or in early August, with the outcome determining whether the dispute proceeds to a full High Court review.
FGG says: Oxford stadium uncertainty continues despite legal victory
The refusal of the initial application is a positive development for Oxford United, but it is clear that the long-running uncertainty surrounding their new stadium is not over yet.
With the club's Kassam Stadium lease approaching its 2028 expiry, further delays will only add to the pressure surrounding an already complicated project.
Local concerns deserve to be heard and properly considered, particularly on environmental and transport issues, but Oxford also need certainty over where they will play in the future.
For U's supporters, the hope will be that the next stage finally brings some clarity to a stadium saga that has already dragged on for years.