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13 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

Yes - all the time - but the stadium was there long before the housing and the City Council was generally supportive of the speedway. 

Yes I remember stories dad used to recall that when visiting Cowley Stadium back during the late forties (stadium was built in 1939) he had to walk thru' countryside and over a smalll bridge over the old Princes Risborough - Oxford railway line. Only development near the stadium was the Cowley works. Blackbird Leys arrived in the late fifties.

Edited by steve roberts

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KEY DATE AHEAD FOR MULTI-MILLION POUND OXFORD STADIUM PLAN

OXFORD STADIUM could be revitalised by a £20-25 million investment which would include the return of Oxford Cheetahs – if the exciting plans of Nick Budimir come to fruition.

The South Coast businessman revealed his intentions to supporters at a packed Chequers pub in Headington Quarry on Tuesday night, with his financier Peter Webb also in attendance, along with Alex Hollingsworth from Oxford City Council and former Oxford East MP Andrew Smith.

Budimir would restore the stadium to full operation, with greyhounds, speedway and ancillary activities as part of his business plan, along with a small number of homes on the site.

However, a major date is just ahead in the campaign to bring the decaying stadium back to life – when the planning inspectorate consider the Oxford Local Plan for the next generation ahead.

The current stadium owners have a very different idea to Mr. Budimir when it comes to the future of the stadium - which would involve Galliard Homes developing the entire site for housing and spell the end of hopes of a return of speedway and greyhounds.

The public have a crucial role to play on Tuesday, December 10th, from 10am to 1pm, when they can show the level of support for Mr. Budimir’s vision for the stadium to the planning inspectorate at the King’s Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0ES, as part of the overall hearing regarding the Oxford Local Plan.

Legal representative Steven Sensecall, employed by the Save Oxford Stadium campaign group, will be putting forward a defence of why the stadium should remain.

Budimir told supporters: “I don’t want to go into a gunfight armed with a knife. We are going in with a gun to take on Galliard and win this battle.”

The council have approved the use of a CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) should it be necessary, if the planning inspectorate rule in the favour of Budimir’s plans.

Save Oxford Stadium chairman Ian Sawyer urged: “We need as many people as possible at the King’s Centre in Osney Mead between 10am and 1pm on December 10th, for the local plan hearing, because it’s vital that people show to the planning inspectors the level of enthusiasm behind Nick Budimir’s plans and how much passion there is for the stadium.

“We need fans along there with their tee-shirts or jackets or scarves or anything which shows their support.

“If Nick’s plans come to fruition it would be brilliant for fans of the Oxford Cheetahs, greyhound enthusiasts and the whole community.

“The council have been very supportive, but they’ve done all they can for now – it’s the general public who can show the level of support to the planning inspectorate on December 10th.”

Speedway came to a halt after 59 successive seasons at Sandy Lane following the 2007 season, with greyhounds also ceasing in 2012.

Oxford City Council subsequently placed both heritage status and conservation status on the stadium, which have tied the hands of the stadium owners, in terms of any housing development on the site.

Edited by lucifer sam
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I see a couple of posters on the Oxford Mail website have suggested that its madness to contemplate spending a load of money on Oxford stadium to reopen dying sports like speedway and greyhound racing!

 

While the slow demise of both sports is very true they aren't terminal and there are other agendas to consider as well like the stadium would be used for other activites and the overall social beneifits to the local community would be indeed very benefical!  

Edited by 25yearfan
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11 minutes ago, 25yearfan said:

I see a couple of posters on the Oxford Mail website have suggested that its madness to contemplate spending a load of money on Oxford stadium to reopen dying sports like speedway and greyhound racing!

 

While the slow demise of both sports is very true they aren't terminal and there are other agendas to consider as well like the stadium would be used for other activites and the over social beneifits to the local community would be benefical!  

I think they might have a point, particularly as there look to be some reasonable alternatives mentioned, that would retain it for sports use.

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Fair play to anyone who's prepared to put the money up in this day and age. Personally i can't see a future for either sport, and i worked in the industry for 22 years.

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Oxford city or whatever needs the parking lot for 100 houses and at the same time calls back 400+ houses PP at the northern gateway. This was in a link behind the link above...

 

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Let us hope that Speedway and the Oxford stadium survive.

certainly appears that the Council are behind the save our stadium campaigners

good luck

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13 hours ago, Gunner85 said:

Let us hope that Speedway and the Oxford stadium survive.

certainly appears that the Council are behind the save our stadium campaigners

good luck

Hope Speedway and greyhounds return.

Never forget our super Greyhound getting to the final of the Oxfordshire Gold Cup in 1995....did not win but still memorable. :D

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46 minutes ago, blueherb777 said:

Hope Speedway and greyhounds return.

Never forget our super Greyhound getting to the final of the Oxfordshire Gold Cup in 1995....did not win but still memorable. :D

Hi Blueherb - I'm probably one of a select few on this site that that also has ( or had) an interest in greyhounds. What was your Gold Cup finalist called, and who was your trainer?

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1 hour ago, Chairboy said:

Hi Blueherb - I'm probably one of a select few on this site that that also has ( or had) an interest in greyhounds. What was your Gold Cup finalist called, and who was your trainer?

Early Times....trained by Kevin O’Connor (private trainer but did run some dogs at Canterbury)

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26 minutes ago, blueherb777 said:

Early Times....trained by Kevin O’Connor (private trainer but did run some dogs at Canterbury)

Good stuff. I've no doubt you will always remember that Gold Cup Final, and the preceding rounds. My family had dogs trained by John Annett (attached to Oxford) and Gary Baggs (Walthamstow) in the late 80s/early 90s. I trained a few myself, racing mainly at Rye House and Milton Keynes.

I'm guessing not everyone on this forum will appreciate this foray into greyhound reminiscing. I will always see football, speedway and greyhound racing as the 3 great working class sports of the 20th century (not necessarily in that order!).

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16 minutes ago, Chairboy said:

Good stuff. I've no doubt you will always remember that Gold Cup Final, and the preceding rounds. My family had dogs trained by John Annett (attached to Oxford) and Gary Baggs (Walthamstow) in the late 80s/early 90s. I trained a few myself, racing mainly at Rye House and Milton Keynes.

I'm guessing not everyone on this forum will appreciate this foray into greyhound reminiscing. I will always see football, speedway and greyhound racing as the 3 great working class sports of the 20th century (not necessarily in that order!).

I do remember the winner of the Oxford Gold Cup that year (1995) was a local dog.....track knowledge always helps....but cannot remember the dogs name? :blink:

Early Times also reached the final of a competition at Hall Green (again no luck in final),smashing dog won opens all over the place....hove,hackney,ramsgate and more.

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