New Stadium Plans - The Triangle - Planning

[Steve Gilbert]

Where do you all live that going to IKEA and Asda is only doable if you go to Milton Keynes?

Asda? You common Oxford people, I can nip to Warrington and go to IKEA and M&S!

 

[NorthWestOx]

Fosb latest installment

Dear Friends

The Triangle stadium proposal is NOT a done deal. Read on to find out more.

OUFC may be able to stay at Kassam!

For two years we have been asking for proof that Oxford United can’t stay at the Kassam Stadium. Neither the club nor Oxfordshire County Council have provided any credible evidence, so recently, we contacted Firoka (the group which owns the Kassam Stadium). They confirmed that Oxford United may be able to stay at the Kassam Stadium (subject to terms and negotiations). This casts real doubt on the club’s claim that they have to move by 2026. It also raises questions around Oxfordshire County Council’s role in all of this; how this matter came about in the first place; the County Council’s lack of due diligence on this key aspect; its offer of a Green Belt site for a new stadium; and whether Oxford United has told us everything.

I for one believe Ka$$am, can't wait to have a pint at the newly restored Priory.

 

[LowerSouth]

Delaying tactics

We will only be groundsharing if we have been granted planning permission .

 

[Yellow River]

One rumour I heard that is only a rumour as far as I know: Kassam Stadium is sinking and therefore has limited life remaining as a stadium. The site may not be suitable for housing development either. Anyone else heard or know about this?

This is true. It’s not dissimilar to Venice in that regard, only difference is there are no canals around the Kassam, but the stands do get very heavy especially when full of spectators. The problem has got worse since 10k attendances became the norm.

There is a genuine danger of the pitch being unfit for play due to rising water levels, the plan is to raise the pitch on stilts, which could work but only for a short period.

As for being suitable for housing development, not a chance.

 

[Followtheox1]

One rumour I heard that is only a rumour as far as I know: Kassam Stadium is sinking and therefore has limited life remaining as a stadium. The site may not be suitable for housing development either. Anyone else heard or know about this?

Sinking or stinking? The latter is definitely true!

 

[Concretebob]

Looks like the FoSB agent inside the Oxford Fail has struck again

Oxford United stadium owner open to club staying put

British businessman Firoz Kassam says he is happy for the Yellows to stay at Kassam Stadium in Littlemore, Oxford, after the club's lease expires in…

www.oxfordmail.co.uk

 

[Oslernorth]

Looks like the FoSB agent inside the Oxford Fail has struck again

Oxford United stadium owner open to club staying put

British businessman Firoz Kassam says he is happy for the Yellows to stay at Kassam Stadium in Littlemore, Oxford, after the club's lease expires in…

www.oxfordmail.co.uk

The article is only 26 words long, and nothing more than a headline.
Why has this been printed without a source, or any other additional information??
Are the Oxford Mail claiming they spoke to Kassam directly?

 

[Concretebob]

The article is only 26 words long, and nothing more than a headline.
Why has this been printed without a source, or any other additional information??
Are the Oxford Mail claiming they spoke to Kassam directly?

Think the rest is behind a paywall.

It's absolutely rubbish of the Fail to report this (clearly after reading FoSB's rambling statement from the other day) instead of FoSB grifting attempt at public money. They really aren't on our side.

 

[Royalstandard74]

It really is time to boycott this rag!

 

[Yellowmania]

I read that and wondered why they felt the need to say “British” businessman in the headline?

 

[Concretebob]

I read that and wondered why they felt the need to say “British” businessman in the headline?

It's to counteract our "overseas" owners - that article has got FoSB written all over it. Albert Tait is also a politics reporter so what's he getting involved in this for?

 

[Northstandboy]

So Kassam says we can stay, what a nice offer to say we can continue staying in a s**t hole!

 

[Royalstandard74]

The rag has sunk to a new low, the story has no context, so kassm is "open' to OUFC staying at a decaying carbon guzzling stadium, how long for? Whilst the new stadium is being built so we dont have to ground share? Or for how ever long kassam sees fit and what ever rent hike that will come with it? Kassams only interest is to build homes and the uncertainty surrounding this WILL kill our club. So I believe this story will be held up for what is and should have little effect on the planning. Unlucky fosb.

 

[The mighty Aldo]

If anyone can get a copy of that article it would be great.

Is K****m saying we can stay there until we have the new ground?

Or has something else happened here, maybe there is a hitch on the building of new homes, or OCC have said it now can’t be used for houses.
Either way he is a hard nosed businessman who is out to gain as much money as he can for himself.So offering something like this is not in character with the man.

I really have had enough of the Mail, they have made it abundantly clear that they are taking sides with FoSB and are anti OUFC.

Please don’t buy the rag of a paper anymore and certainly don’t click their online articles, because they know there are thousands of Yellows fans who will see an article like this and want to read it.

I loathe them as much as the liars and hypocrites at FoSB

Edit

Thinking about this, do we honestly think OCC would have let things get to this stage without due diligence on why OUFC need a new home.
No they must have factual evidence that the lease/licence to play at Grenoble Road has been terminated.

 

[oxfordkits]

Oxford Fail Article

The owner of Kassam Stadium says he is open to Oxford United staying at the ground, despite the club claiming it “must find a new home”.

Firoz Kassam has confirmed to the Oxford Mail he is happy for the Yellows to continue playing home games at the stadium in Littlemore.

It comes as the club looks to move away from the Kassam, with controversial plans to build a 16,000-capacity stadium in Kidlington.

Oxford United chief executive Tim Williams claims there is “no option to renew the lease” at the Kassam which expires in 2026.

He said the club “must find a new home”.

But the top bosses at Oxford United have now faced accusations that they never even asked to stay at the Kassam.

Friends of Stratfield Brake, a campaign group against the new stadium, claims Kassam landlords Firoka, a company owned by Mr Kassam, were never approached by the club about renewing the lease.

Group member Suzanne McIvor said the club’s bosses had “not given the whole story” about the stadium saga.

When the Oxford Mail put these claims to Mr Kassam, who owned Oxford United from 1999 to 2006 and built the stadium in 2001, he said: “That is completely true.”

The revelation comes as Oxford United prepares a planning application for a new stadium at the Triangle, an area of land south of Kidlington Roundabout.

The club wants to submit the plan to Cherwell District Council, the planning authority, at the “earliest possible opportunity”.

A club spokesman said: "The club has explored options at the current stadium.

“We have always been clear in our position and remain focused on securing a long-term and sustainable future for the club and look forward to submitting our full planning application."

But the stadium move has been criticised by Ian Middleton, who represents Kidlington East on the district council.

The Green councillor said: “There’s more to this claim from Oxford United that they can’t negotiate to stay at the Kassam than they are letting on”.

He accused the club of having “tunnel vision” on the Triangle site.

“No one wants to see the club homeless, but if they genuinely have no option to stay at the Kassam they shouldn’t be wasting what little time they say they have left by pursuing a pipe dream in Kidlington,” he added.

Oxford United's relationship with Firoka has historically been tricky.

In 2019, the company served the club with a winding-up petition for £204,000 in unpaid rent and service charges.

At the time, the club said it was “extremely disappointed” with Firoka’s actions.

--

It's patently clear the Oxford Fail is wrapped around FOSB fingers. As soon as McIvor / Middleton have a sniff of something, they go running to the Fail, and hey presto it's printed as gospel and is wholly unbalanced in its POV. Why oh why do the club allow the Fail any access to interviews or matchdays?

Let's be completely clear here. FK does not want that football stadium, and does not want to sell it to the club. The ONLY thing he wants is to 'cash in' and turn the entire site into housing. Hence why it is already in OCC plans as an identified site for housing.

'If' Uncle Firoz suddenly had a change of heart, it would surely be a stalling tactic, while he waits for house prices and mortgage rates to recover, to maximize demand and his ROI.

Any renegotiated rent would be far, far higher than it is currently, and would cripple the club making it inviable, unsellable, and would be the end of the club.

It's a non-starter. A non-story. Move on.

 

[Billyox]

Does it even matter? if I rent a house and I decided that I want to build a new house that's up to me and no one else

 

[arthurturner]

We will only be groundsharing if we have been granted planning permission .

If we are refused planning permission we either groundshare or die.

 

[Concretebob]

The article reeks of FoSB. Is Albert Tait in cahoots with them I wonder? Don't see any articles talking about FoSB trying to nab public money for their legal fees? Why is that?

Don't buy the Oxford Mail. It's a mouthpiece of the opposition and is overtly anti OUFC.

 

[Billyox]

I've looked through the fail I can't see the story where fosb tried to get public money to pay there legal fees funny that

 

[Concretebob]

I've looked through the fail I can't see the story where fosb tried to get public money to pay there legal fees funny that

Can't have articles criticising FoSB can they?