Fears as 130 year old Oxford sport club could be demolished

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There are fears for a local sports ground after players were urgently told to stop using the ground.

Members at Oxford University Press Bowls Club, which was founded in 1896, were told in April they would have to vacate the clubhouse from September onwards but the ground would still be available next year.

The ground in Jordan Hill in Banbury Road also houses a cricket, tennis, and football club.

The bowls club were then told on Tuesday, May 12 that all sports facilities will close at the end of the season, and the club house would have to be vacated over the next few weeks.

Only two days later the team were told that the club facilities would close with immediate effect.

These actions have garnered significant reactions from players, whose season is not over until the end of summer.

Oxford University Press has been trying to develop the site for housing and it was agreed they could on the condition another facility is available.

As outlined in the Oxford City Local Plan 2036 'sports provision must be retained unless an alternative provision is made or contributions are made to improving a local facility such that its capacity increase replaces what it lost'.

An Oxford bowls player from the club, Theresa Murphy, has confirmed that no such provision has been made, and with all other bowl clubs full in the city, they have nowhere else to go.

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She said: "It's all a bit of a shock as it's all come so suddenly.

"Most balls clubs are already established. They don't want another 20 members joining them because that's not really viable.

"The cricket, they're really into trouble because they need the large perimeter they need to play and it is very difficult to find in the city.

"They're a really good team and they were just about to introduce disability friendly cricket as well."

The nine-acre site in Wolvercote was also outlined in the local plan as a risk for traffic, as a significant increase in traffic is likely to impact upon the nearby Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts.

In the plan the site said outside groups were able to use the pitches on an ad hoc basis but demand for the pitches has diminished and it is now not viable to operate.

The bowls group have condemned the decision.

Ms Murphy said: "I was so sad by it all.

"It is just another thing they are taking away.

"They're hoping we all go and then they can say well we can just build on it."

There is no active planning application for the site.

Oxford University Press has been approached for a comment.

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