So city council leader Bob Price says the Stadium housing plans make a lot of sense. Is this the same Bob Price who in December said the council opposed any planning applications and the site should stay as a leisure facility?
In an article in the Oxford Mail on Wednesday Mr Price said: “I appreciate campaigners and residents’ reasons for opposing the development. There are two very good reasons for opposing it that dog racing and speedway should be maintained, but the GRA clearly sees flogging for housing as preferable.”
He then admits what everyone else claims is that there will be more pressure on roads, parking and congestion. Problems that would have to be addressed.
The planning application will not be submitted until later in the year, but in the meantime, many people connected with the Stadium which employs a fair number from the area will go through a harrowing time until the day of the big decision.
Of course the GRA want to flog the Stadium as Mr Price puts it, but they are only acting for owners Capital Risk Partners and Gilliard Homes. The GRA was purchased by CRP a few years ago with a huge loan involved. The pressure is now on to call it in, and it looks as though selling Oxford could be part of the answer.
However, the Blackbird Leys parish council said they would not accept the argument that the plans were a good option for the site. I fear the battle has only just begun, petitions will be springing up online and around the stadium and supporters will be going back some 40 odd years and resurrecting the ‘Save Our Stadium’ campaign.
A group from the Stadium will petition the government and the council to see why opinions have changed since December.
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