The High Court has dismissed a request for a judicial review by the campaigners opposed to the English Football League (EFL) League One team – the Oxford United F.C. (UK) – proposal for a new 16,000-seater stadium.
‘the Triangle’
‘BBC’ stated that the Oxford United F.C.’s plans to build on land known as ‘the Triangle’, near Kidlington (UK), were first approved by the Cherwell District Council and then by the Government last year.
Judicial Review
‘BBC’ further stated that venue plans are being opposed by the campaign group Friends of Stratfield Brake (FoSB) which attempted to challenge their approval in the courts. But at a permission hearing at the High Court recently its request for a full judicial review was denied for the second time.
The Friends of Stratfield Brake (FoSB) is an independent, not-for-profit community action group in Oxfordshire, England (UK) formed to oppose the Oxford United F.C.’s proposed stadium and commercial development on the Stratfield Brake and ‘the Triangle’ Green Belt land near Kidlington.
Preston (UK)-based the English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League it is the oldest football league in the world and was the top-level football league in England from its foundation until 1992 when the top 22 clubs split from it to form the Premier League, the highest level of the English football league system. The Football League was rebranded as the ‘English Football League’ (EFL) starting with the 2016-2017 seasons.
The Oxford United F.C. is a professional football club based in Oxford, England (UK). Its team competes in the EFL League One, the third tier of English football.
The 12,500-seat Kassam Stadium (also known as the Grenoble Road) is a football stadium in Oxford, England (UK). It is the home of Oxford United F.C. and is named after the ground’s Owner and former Chairman of the football club, Firoz Kassam.
The New Oxford United Stadium is a proposed multipurpose stadium to be built in Kidlington, Oxfordshire (UK). It would become the new home of the EFL League One club Oxford United F.C. thus replacing the club’s current home, the Kassam Stadium, where they have played since 2001.
The Oxford United F.C.’s ‘the Triangle’ plans involve building a new, sustainable, 16,000-capacity all-electric stadium on a five-hectare site near Kidlington, Oxfordshire (UK).
Judgment
Responding to the judgment with a brief statement the Oxford United F.C. said the judge overseeing the hearing, Mr Justice Johnson, “concluded that the grounds of challenge were unarguable”.
The campaigners now have seven days to refer the case to the Court of Appeal.
Legal Costs
The FoSB first lodged the legal complaint over the new stadium’s potential impact on the local wildlife as well as aspects of the planned road closures in April after launching a fundraiser to cover the legal costs.
Appeal Failed
That appeal failed and the group instead turned to a permission hearing which took place at the Royal Courts of Justice in Central London recently.
FoSB ‘Disappointed’
Ricardo Gama, from the law firm Leigh Day, which is representing the FoSB, said the group was “disappointed” by the outcome – “They believe that they have strong grounds of challenge. They’re considering their options, including appeal.”
‘Particularly Concerning’
He said it was “particularly concerning” the approach that Natural England (the official Government Adviser for the natural environment in England) took to the “substantial evidence” that Stratfield Brake (a 20-acre community recreation ground and adjacent Woodland Trust nature reserve located near Kidlington, just North of Oxford, England) was ancient woodland.
Stadium Planning Permission
The initial decision by the Cherwell District Council to grant the stadium planning permission had been delayed after the nearby woodland was declared as ancient.
View Reversed
Natural England later reversed this view saying the trees in question were not found on the Oxfordshire maps it had studied from the 18th and 19th centuries.
‘Massive’ Judgment
Paul Peros from the supporters group Ox Vox (the independent, nonprofit supporters’ trust for Oxford United) said the High Court judgment was “massive. I’ve been confidently telling people from August that we’ll sail through this but I was overjoyed when I actually got the result. It’s really good, it’s affirmation that the procedure and the planning was correct”.
‘Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity’
The Oxford United previously said the new stadium provided a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” and had suggested that its future could be in jeopardy were the new ground not to be built.
‘Rigorous Planning Process’
When the threat of legal action by the FoSB was first raised earlier this year a club spokesperson said, “A rigorous and detailed planning process was followed by the Cherwell District Council and we look forward to supporting them defend their decision.”
‘Ahead of the Curve’
That followed comments by the Oxford United Chairman Grant Ferguson, who said, “We are pretty comfortable that we are ahead of the curve” in reference to a future court battle.
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