Mott MacDonald supports Oxford United Football Club as it gains planning approval for the UK’s first all-electric football stadium

Oxford United Football Club has gained planning approval for the UK’s first all-electric powered football stadium. The new 16,000 capacity stadium is set to create a larger and permanent home for the Club, which is designed to be the most sustainable mid-sized sports venue in the UK.

First appointed in 2023, Mott MacDonald has supported Oxford United FC in the design and development of the new stadium, leading on engineering services. Working in a highly collaborative team with Ridge + Partners, AFL Architects and Fabrik Landscape Architects, Mott MacDonald has helped translate the club’s sustainable vision into design using its specialists including acousticians, crowd modellers and fire safety experts.

The approved plans include first of its kind innovations. As the first all-electric stadium in the UK, air-source heat pumps and energy efficient building fabric will remove the need for carbon-based fuels and provide an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions per year compared with gas boilers. It will operate entirely on renewable energy, integrating 3500m² of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels to help reduce the impact on the national grid.

Nick Ling, project principal and buildings structures lead at Mott MacDonald commented: “This is a significant milestone for what is set to be one of the most sustainable sporting venues in the UK. We’re proud to have brought the best of our building design services to this project. From civils and structures to building services, and specialist lighting to environmental impact, this is a truly multi-disciplinary project, and we’re delighted to see it take another step forward.”

Focusing on sustainable design, Mott MacDonald incorporated lean structural frames with a timber roof into the design to help minimise the embodied carbon of the building and included sustainable drainage and earthworks solutions that have been designed to work in harmony with the site ecology and environment. Its structural design enables column free spaces to create highly flexible venue space. The design of the sports lighting for HD TV and the acoustic design of the stadium bowl will create a fantastic atmosphere whilst minimising environmental impact.

With Oxford Parkway rail station and Park & Ride adjacent to the new stadium, 90% of journeys to and from the ground have potential to be via sustainable transport. The project will create a new pedestrian and cycle link to nearby communities and public transport, enhanced rail and bus connections and integration with Park and Ride services via dedicated fan shuttles. Nearly 450 cycle spaces will be provided on site. The club is also exploring incentives to promote public and active transport.

Jonathon Clarke, Development Director at Oxford United, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have secured planning approval. We’re now one step closer to delivering on our goal of creating a once-in-a-generation venue for supporters and the wider community.

“Getting to this point wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our incredible stadium project team. I’d also like to place on record my thanks to the Cherwell District Council planning officers for their constructive engagement throughout this process.”

The wider mixed-use development includes sustainable transport links, hospitality and events spaces, a new public plaza and wellness gardens and local health services. It will create new spaces for Oxfordshire to host international events, activate the stadium and surrounds on non-match days, and unlock upwards of £130M of investment into Cherwell, where the stadium will be sited. The events spaces host over 1000 guests and will be Oxfordshire’s largest purpose-built venue of this kind, supported by a 180-bed hotel and a restaurant. The development will enable the Club’s charity Oxford United in the Community to expand its outreach programme and deliver high impact education, health and inclusion initiatives. These will all boost the Club’s vitality and secure its long-term commercial success.