Jonathan Clarke's New Year's Stadium Update

On behalf of the Stadium Project team, we wish you all a Happy New Year.

Last year we made huge progress towards our goal of securing a permanent, sustainable home that protects the long-term future of the club and delivers numerous great benefits to the wider community.

Two key milestones for 2024 include signing a binding lease option with Oxfordshire County Council for the land known as the Triangle and completing an exciting community partnership agreement. The lease option includes provisions guaranteeing Oxford United's right to play at the stadium and protections for the rental and use of the facilities.

The Community Partnership Agreement formalizes the Club's commitment to social, environmental and economic benefits, as outlined in the seven strategic priorities set by the Council. This is an area we continue to work hard on, and we look forward to announcing additional strategic partners and updates in due course.

Another key point was formally submitting the planning application and providing important updates just before Christmas. A huge amount of work has been done to get us to this point and the result is an ambitious and inspiring project that will transform not only Oxford United, but the whole of Oxfordshire.

What we want to deliver is more than just the stadium. The plans include a 180-bedroom hotel, a conference and exhibition center with capacity for 1,000 people, and facilities to promote tourism, business and employment. The economic benefits are expected to be significant, with almost 1,000 jobs created, generating around £32 million for the local economy each year.

Community needs and visitor experiences were also placed at the heart of the design, including public plazas, gardens and spaces that can be used to enhance education, health and wellbeing programmes.

It will be the most environmentally sustainable mid-sized stadium to be built in the UK. Our location next to Oxford Parkway train station and close to Park & ​​Ride venues means we can offer comprehensive travel and transport solutions.

Despite the exciting progress made so far, 2025 could be one of the most important years in the history of this great football club. It is well documented that our current stadium layout is unsustainable for the long-term survival of the club. We need to secure planning permission to protect the future of Oxford United and realize this vision.

This is a huge year for Oxford United and we look forward to your continued support both on and off the field.