Oaklands Park Redevelopment

Major redevelopment plans marking the biggest step forward for football in Chichester for more than a century have been unveiled. They are plans with a touch of the theatrical - the roof of the building proposed for Chichester United Football Club's Oaklands Park ground reflects the shape of its near neighbour, the Festival Theatre.

The idea is that the scheme will have extensive community use, as well as football, with proposals including conference facilities and a creche. The club was formed through a merger of Chichester City FC and Portfield FC, and Chichester District Council is now planning a housing development on the Portfield ground in Church Road which it owns.

The plan is that some of the proceeds from the sale of the Portfield ground will finance the new development in Oaklands Park which will cost in the region of six hundred thousand pounds. Club Chairman, Simon Kenny, said there were plans for a new clubhouse with seating at the front, hard standing all the way around the ground, pitch improvements and two stands next to the College Lane boundary.

The new facility at Oaklands Park should be ready for the start of the 2006/2007 season.

Oaklands Park Pictures Oct 2004

Church Road Pictures Oct 2004

News Update 20/08/05


An agreement has been reached between the Environmental Agency and the Highways Agency over the size of the roundabout to go at the end of Church Road on Westhampnett Road although this may mean the removal of some mature trees.
This matter is now back with Chichester District Council (CDC) to make a decision on the way forward. CDC and ourselves are ready with the necessary planning applications for Church Road and Oaklands Park.

These will be submitted as soon as all of the infra-structure arrangements are concluded by CDC. Hopefully this will be in the next few months. If so, we would hope to be back at Oaklands Park in a newly developed ground with a new clubhouse facility for the 2006/2007 season. Your board has been working hard for the past 5 years to acheive this and we all now feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel. (John Hutter, Chairman).


News Update 19/02/04

Last Friday, officials from Chichester City United had a very positive meeting with Chichester District Council regarding the way forward with developments at Church Road and Oaklands Park. There was both good and bad news for the football club who had hoped to return to Oaklands Park this year.

It became clear that this was not possible when the Council's officers indicated the likely timescale for the development at Church Road. A further traffic survey is taking place and outline planning permission for housing development at Church Road is due to be heard again by the Development Control Committee at their April meeting. If approval is granted, the council will require time to produce the tender specification with a view to starting the tendering process in September that will take about 3 months. The successful developer will then have to submit a detailed planning application for approval before any work at Church Road can commence.

The club has had to accept that it will remain playing football at Church Road for another season. Agreement has been reached to enable the football club to submit a planning application for the Oaklands Park site in June 2004. The club will be meeting the Council's Planning Officers to discuss their proposals prior to an application being submitted. Proposals include a two-storey clubhouse and improved spectator facilities. To enable this to happen and to secure senior football in the city, the council has agreed to a new long-term lease for this site.

Although a further year's delay is occurring, at the end of this the club knows that it will have the facilities to ensure the future of senior football in the city for many years to come and to enable the club to progress within the Football Association's revised national non-league structure.