simon munday retweetledi
🏟️ Another delay. Another attempt to block progress.
I've just heard about the FOSB campaign group who have launched a legal challenge against Oxford United’s new #OUFC stadium project despite the project already being approved through the proper democratic planning process. Let’s be clear: this is nothing more than a delay tactic.
This application has been scrutinised for years, more so than any other project I know of in #Oxfordshire, with extensive consultation, expert reports, and a decision taken by elected councillors. Yet instead of respecting that outcome, a small group is now trying to drag it through the courts, raising issues that have already been considered in detail.
I sincerely hope this legal challenge is thrown out swiftly so the club can get on with delivering a project that Oxfordshire needs.
The reality is simple. Oxford United needs a new home. Without it, the long-term future of the club is at risk along with the jobs, investment and opportunities this once-in-a-generation project will bring to our area.
What’s particularly striking for me is the irony here. The same voices putting huge energy into trying to block this stadium are largely silent while Kidlington is being surrounded by thousands of new homes through the Cherwell Local Plan proposals backed by the very same councillors.
And it doesn’t stop there. Some of the very councillors raising concerns about occasional match day road closures, that will be in place for safety reasons, were more than happy to support congestion charge measures in Oxford that restrict everyday journeys for all residents.
Residents deserve consistency not selective outrage. We cannot allow a cycle of delay, uncertainty and costly legal wrangling to derail a project that has overwhelming support and real benefits for our communities.
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