Banburyshire views - new stadium would 'paralyse' Oxford on match days and concerns are voiced over hospital access and housing
Banbury organisations have raised serious concerns about a huge new football stadium that would mean lengthy road closures into Oxford.
Cherwell District Council approved a major application by Oxford Utd Football Club for a 16,000-seater stadium on land between Kidlington and north Oxford, see Banbury Guardian article here. The plan was vehemently opposed by a Kidlington group which is considering its next moves.
The decision was taken in spite of Thames Valley Police (TVP) insisting on a condition that roads around the stadium (Oxford Road and Frieze Road to Pear Tree Roundabout) would be closed for 45 minutes either side of a match for the safety of fans arriving and leaving the venue.
The decision has been sent to Housing Secretary Steve Reed since the plan was not in Cherwell’s Local Plan. The government has issued a pause on a decision.
Hospital campaigners in Banbury fear the closures and enormous traffic tailbacks will prevent patients and mothers in labour getting to the Oxford hospitals swiftly.
Local Green Party councillor Ian Middleton has written to Mr Reed with concerns that Thames Water would be unable to provide water or sewage capacity for planned housing estates and the 16,000-seater stadium with its 180-bed hotel. Nearly 2000 homes have already been approved around the site.
Peter Monk, co-chairman of Banbury Civic Society, said he is concerned about queues behind turnstiles which could be out of proportion to estimates.
Plans show little room on the pedestrian access opposite the station and Park and Ride, he said, and Oxford Utd says it cannot afford a pedestrian footbridge for up to 16,000 fans.
"Unless turnstiles are adequate, fans will be waiting outside, blocking the A4260 until cleared into the ground. TVP seems confident they can deal with such a situation and restore traffic movement after 35 minutes, but I have a degree of scepticism. Added to that, buses will gathered into groups of three to be passed through the crowd of waiting fans.
"I await a trial emergency evacuation with interest. At the planning meeting it seemed some, if not all members present were surprised when this TVP requirement was made known. I was surprised that either there was not a motion to defer the application for further consideration or an outright refusal,” he said.
Keep the Horton General campaign group has asked Mr Reed to make a footbridge a condition of approval.
In a letter they said: “The consequence of road closures will be to prevent many patients (some possibly in dangerous stages illness or labour) and their relatives and visitors reaching the hospitals.
"We are told ambulances would be ‘guided through’ the road blocks but only a small proportion of patients go to the JR in ambulances. The vast majority are told to make their own way there.
“The Health Secretary in 2008 unanimously rejected a plan to downgrade the Horton General Hospital, on the basis that sending patients and mothers in labour 25 miles to Oxford was ‘unsafe and inhumane’. The hold-ups envisioned in this plan - especially with population increases (tens of thousands more homes in north Oxfordshire) - make the danger to patients many times worse.
“The closures would cause enormous backlogs paralysing traffic and requiring hours to flow again, only to have the same happen after a match.
“It would paralyse the Park and Ride systems which people use to get to the hospitals and city centre. Imagine a home match with a 12.30pm or 2.30pm kick off on a Saturday!
“This is simply not the location for a huge stadium - a third as big again as the current, 12,000-seater Kassam Stadium.
“What happens if Oxford Utd moved up to the Premiership and wants a seating extension upwards from 16,000? What happens if a fight breaks out between rival fans? There appears to be no separation plan. How long would this extend a road closure?
“Where will people park? It is assumed thousands will use a ‘hub’ at Oxford Airport but it is too distant. People will travel by car and will park where they can, in Kidlington streets, on verges etc - causing even more chaos for other road users.”
KTHG said a footbridge would be the solution to pedestrians reaching the train station, Park and Ride and car park on the other side of the Oxford Road.
“Without it, thousands of people will be wandering along the roads and pavements for hours on match days - a thoroughly dangerous prospect. If real safety measures cannot be afforded it should not go ahead but this seems a fraction of the money being spent and should be a condition to avoid road closures."
The group expressed concerns about responsibility for Oxford Utd’s home being handed from Oxford City Council to Cherwell District Council. They say Cherwell residents had not been given sufficient information before the plan was approved.
KTHG has questioned provision of only two coach parking slots and 165 car parking spaces in the plan.
“The Park & Ride opposite will be commandeered but this is not going to begin to accommodate 16,000 fans’ vehicles. Oxford Utd fans are not going to cycle there in their hundreds as claimed. The proof will come far too late. Fans would be having to queue for shuttle buses from early morning to make matches.”
Cllr Ian Middleton urged Steve Reed to take seriously concerns about much-needed housing in the area being jeopardised.
“Thames Water have previously cast doubt on their ability to provide enough sewage and fresh water capacity for housing development sites immediately adjacent to the proposed stadium without completing significant upgrades to the local network which they say could take up to 10 years to complete,” he said.
"They stated during the planning application process they would not be able to provide the required capacities for the stadium or the associated hotel.
Mr Middleton said opposition groups may press for a Judicial Review if permitted.