OXFORD United’s chairman says the club will act swiftly to answer questions after the search for a new stadium took a step forward yesterday.

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet followed up its recommendation to allow officers to begin talks on ‘outline legal and commercial terms’, with regards to ‘The Triangle’, south of Kidlington Roundabout.

The legal agreement between the U’s and the council must meet a series of objectives, which include maintaining a green barrier between Oxford and Kidlington, enhancing facilities for local sports groups, and improving public transport in the area.

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Grant Ferguson told the club website: “We are delighted with the decision taken yesterday and feel it is a significant step forward.

“In particular, the passion with which people spoke in favour of the new stadium development was truly humbling and reconfirmed that this project is more than football, it is truly about the whole Oxfordshire community.

“We thank those who spoke and we also thank the council for agreeing to take the project to the next stage.

“A lot of effort has gone in to reaching this stage but we are under no illusions that the real hard work begins now.

“We will be moving swiftly to answer the justifiable questions the council need answering as well as working with the local community, with our own fans and with a huge number of people to make sure that the new stadium is what we all dream of.

“We will provide a further update in the coming days and we continue in our commitment to be open and transparent in everything we do.

“Yesterday underlined how much this football club means to people and now we have to repay that trust by delivering what we have always promised: a fitting stadium that the whole of Oxfordshire can be proud of and truly call home.”

United’s hunt for a new home is taking on more significance as the licence agreement at the Kassam Stadium is set to run out in 2026, after which point the club could find itself homeless.

Planning permission for a new stadium would be required from Cherwell District Council, as the local planning authority.