A group planning to re-open Oxford Stadium have been buoyed by a study which suggests a compulsory purchase by the city council is completely viable.
The Save Oxford Stadium (SOS) campaign, primarily led by speedway supporters, have been in on-going discussions with the council over many months over a potential compulsory purchase order from owners Galliard Home. However they were warned by the leader of the council that before an application could be submitted to the Secretary of State, they would have to comply with a series of requirements. SOS, who had raised a fighting fund of around £16K, paid for professional advice, and were told that they could meet all the criteria.
Greyhound owner Bob Baker said: “The requirements are along the lines of: can you prove that the stadium would be viable? And the answer is yes, because one of the witnesses is a former general manager at the stadium. Is there anyone would would be prepared to run it as a business? There is. Would the stadium be more viable as housing? And the answer is no, because the council have outright rejected plans for housing. And so it goes on.
“The fight goes on with the council and MP Andrew Smith determined to re-open the stadium.”
