PR campaign helped Oxford United Football Club obtain planning permission

It was recently confirmed the Secretary of State will not call in the Club’s new stadium planning application, meaning the scheme will be determined locally by Cherwell District Council.

It follows the Council’s Planning Committee approval in August for the Club to build a 16,000 capacity all-electric stadium on land north of the city. 

Fortitude Communications devised and delivered a comprehensive PR and communications strategy for the Club working as part of the extensive stadium project team that collaborated to successfully secure planning permission. 

Property planning PR

The PR brief was to raise awareness and generate positive publicity for the stadium project, promote its positive benefits and help achieve objective of securing planning permission.

To achieve this our team produced a detailed communications strategy and delivered consistent, proactive outward communications that achieved regular media coverage. Our team deployed a variety of tactics to execute the campaign, including news output, thought leadership, features, video and third party support. 

Overtime this built the narrative and achieved strong awareness, engagement, an increased understanding of the benefits the stadium will deliver and increased support for the project. 

More than 400 positive pieces of media coverage were achieved regionally and nationally in total across an 18-month campaign. 

Consistent and reliable 

Jonathon Clarke, Development Director, Oxford United Football Club, said: ​“Fortitude have been an invaluable partner in navigating our communications strategy. 

“They took the lead on some of our most crucial messaging and provided steady thoughtful PR support that really helped us achieve our goal of securing planning permission for the new stadium. They have been a consistent and reliable resource and we are really grateful for their dedication, extensive local knowledge and proactive approach.”

Oxford United​’s new stadium plan feature a 16,000 capacity all-electric stadium, a conference and exhibition centre, a 180-room hotel plus restaurant, bar and fitness and entertainment provisions on land known as the Triangle, north of Oxford. 

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