The Stadium.....the clock is ticking.

[YellowTaxi]

Agreed. Political pressure is the key. And acknowledging what a successful football club can do for the reputation and amenities of the city and County.

I would like to put pressure on Mr Price to find out what's been going on with the Council's planning department which seems to be very firmly in the pocket of mr f. kassam.
Remember when the temporary marquee outside the Priory was banned because it was an unsightly addition to a listed building - which was a functioning public house That "eyesore" has now been replaced by a fence and boarded up windows- and a closed and deteriorating listed building with no prospect of it reopening.

 

[Deleted member 462]

Agreed. Political pressure is the key. And acknowledging what a successful football club can do for the reputation and amenities of the city and County.

I would like to put pressure on Mr Price to find out what's been going on with the Council's planning department which seems to be very firmly in the pocket of mr f. kassam.
Remember when the temporary marquee outside the Priory was banned because it was an unsightly addition to a listed building - which was a functioning public house That "eyesore" has now been replaced by a fence and boarded up windows- and a closed and deteriorating listed building with no prospect of it reopening.

He answered this at the Oxvox meeting. Legal proceedings being looked at in upcoming meeting

 

[Paul Cannell]

That's not much of an answer, though.

 

[Scotchegg]

Currently Kassam holds all the cards. We need to chip away little by little. Forcing him to repair the Priory and restriction planning of the overflow etc may mean that he is more likely to look at a deal.

 

[Deleted member 462]

That's not much of an answer, though.

No, but it more balls than they have so far managed to grow over it

 

[Discoland]

It's a shame Richard Branson isn't an Oxford fan, living so close to the club. Buying the stadium would be a drop in the ocean for him although not too sure I like the sound of 'The Virgin Ground'.

Edit: Just checked and he sold his Kidlington home, worth a thought.

 

[Scotchegg]

It's a shame Richard Branson isn't an Oxford fan, living so close to the club. Buying the stadium would be a drop in the ocean for him although not too sure I like the sound of 'The Virgin Ground'.

Edit: Just checked and he sold his Kidlington home, worth a thought.

Been approached many times over the years I believe, and never interested.

 

[bazzer9461]

Bob Price and his cronies in the city council don’t want football in this town, they are as bent as 9’bob note ( and for those of you who are under 47 ask your elders what that is ) . I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them. So we get the ground but the overflow car park will be used for developing a small estate, car parking will be a joke and the not so free flowing in and out of Grenoble road will get worse.

 

[Paul Cannell]

No, but it more balls than they have so far managed to grow over it

3 years ago they amended the planning so Kassam could fix the Priory after the hotel opened. They could have enforced that, they could have made him fix the facade before it opened.

I am suspicious that the council was acting from something worse than inertia and dimness. I am also sceptical whether anything's changed, I suggest Mr Price was hardly going to tell the audience he was planning to remain in his habitual posture of sitting on his hands during a face to face meeting.

 

[Deleted member 462]

3 years ago they amended the planning so Kassam could fix the Priory after the hotel opened. They could have enforced that, they could have made him fix the facade before it opened.

I am suspicious that the council was acting from something worse than inertia and dimness. I am also sceptical whether anything's changed, I suggest Mr Price was hardly going to tell the audience he was planning to remain in his habitual posture of sitting on his hands during a face to face meeting.

Do we know who is taking over from him yet ?

 

[Paul Cannell]

Lucifer, son of the morning.

 

[Anthomic]

Bob Price and his cronies in the city council don’t want football in this town, they are as bent as 9’bob note ( and for those of you who are under 47 ask your elders what that is ) . I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them. So we get the ground but the overflow car park will be used for developing a small estate, car parking will be a joke and the not so free flowing in and out of Grenoble road will get worse.

You can get to the ground without driving, I take four busses each way.

 

[bazzer9461]

You can get to the ground without driving, I take four busses each way.

I’m ok I have a badge that allows me to park in Minchary farm plus my dad lives there so no problem for me, but living in Steventon it would be more than 2 buses and it’s those who have similar travelling problems whom I had directed my post at.

 

[Deleted member 462]

You can get to the ground without driving, I take four busses each way.

I’m ok I have a badge that allows me to park in Minchary farm plus my dad lives there so no problem for me, but living in Steventon it would be more than 2 buses and it’s those who have similar travelling problems whom I had directed my post at.

But if we lose the over flow, but as was said at the Oxvox meeting gain use of the science park multi stories then it’s no different. Probably in fact better as not everyone will be exiting the same point

 

[bazzer9461]

But if we lose the over flow, but as was said at the Oxvox meeting gain use of the science park multi stories then it’s no different. Probably in fact better as not everyone will be exiting the same point

But nothing agreed yet with the science park and are there enough? There is a small I think 3 story multi story car park. There would also have to be a new road if it’s housimg or tower full of flats, but it depends on what Kassam is offered, the OCC won’t give any favours for OUFC nor to Kassam unless he gives to OCC

 

[Paul P]

But nothing agreed yet with the science park and are there enough? There is a small I think 3 story multi story car park. There would also have to be a new road if it’s housimg or tower full of flats, but it depends on what Kassam is offered, the OCC won’t give any favours for OUFC nor to Kassam unless he gives to OCC

My understanding is that the council have pockets of parking that will be used for new developments dotted around the ground that they will make available for match days. The plan is that not everyone leaves from the same exit at once so it could actually help with the log jam. They have offered this as a means of Kassam being able to develop cheaply on the overflow carpark. I guess we will see if any headway can be made that way but I was told when I raised the point at the meeting that they could not make selling the ground to the community a condition of getting planning permission.

 

[bazzer9461]

My understanding is that the council have pockets of parking that will be used for new developments dotted around the ground that they will make available for match days. The plan is that not everyone leaves from the same exit at once so it could actually help with the log jam. They have offered this as a means of Kassam being able to develop cheaply on the overflow carpark. I guess we will see if any headway can be made that way but I was told when I raised the point at the meeting that they could not make selling the ground to the community a condition of getting planning permission.

Would love to see what exit roads would be used and where they would be, that bridge to the over flow car park is to narrow to make a proper road bridge. The other thing is the residents wanting to leave before during ( which shouldn’t be a problem) and after also god forbid emergency services required during these periods, it will very interesting.
As regard making selling the ground part of a condition to get planning permission, they’re the council they can do what they want but as I said earlier they are bent as a nine bob note.

 

[uptheus]

He answered this at the Oxvox meeting. Legal proceedings being looked at in upcoming meeting

Too little, too late. And to think that they want him on side to dona deal whilst at the same time taking him to court!

I said we've needed to look at different options away from the Kassam, and seemed odd get shot down, but now this thread seems to have come to this conclusion as our best option.

 

[Deleted member 462]

He answered this at the Oxvox meeting. Legal proceedings being looked at in upcoming meeting

Too little, too late. And to think that they want him on side to dona deal whilst at the same time taking him to court!

I said we've needed to look at different options away from the Kassam, and seemed odd get shot down, but now this thread seems to have come to this conclusion as our best option.

I don’t think anyone has ever said we shouldn’t look at other options. In fact I have said previously our best option was to buy the Kassam/agree a better deal while still looking at other options for the future.

I still think that currently the Kassam is the best option, mainly because there are no others on the table. There is no planning hurdles to get over, green belt to negotiate, it’s there and needs a deal with one person to sort it.
That possibly might never happen.

But maybe if we hadn’t spent the last 3 years being led to believe WE was the dream ticket, when in reality all it was, was a farmer willing to sell. With not even a nod from the local council they would allow it, then we might be further down the line of finding an actual viable option

 

[SwissYellow]

Couple of replacements mooted so far for Bob Price are Alex Hollingsworth, who watches a lot of OUFC games and does seem to get things done and Linda Smith, who amongst all the frustration I've had with the Rink, has been focussed and dilligent in trying to get problems solved.

Both, hopefully will prove to be brilliant for the City.