Headington Headlines

Headington Headlines #92

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 24 – 30 December.

A burst water main on Christmas Eve (Monday) affected water pressure in parts of Headington and Marston but to everyone’s relief @ThamesWater had fixed it in a few hours.

That evening police were called to a fight outside the Britannia pub. One man was arrested and another taken to hospital.

A trail motor bike belonging to @Zythophilia was stolen in Headington on Christmas Day. Please keep your eyes open for it.

Headington Quarry Morris Men revived the tradition of performing a mummers’ play in the streets around Quarry on Boxing Day.

The A40 northern by-pass was blocked westbound for about 2 hours early on Friday evening due to an accident near the Marston junction.

A rather tenuous OX3 connection, but Patricia Wagstaff of Appleton was awarded the BEM in the New Year’s Honours List for her volunteering and fund-raising work at the Sobell House Hospice and other charities.

My favorite Headington-related tweet this week:

Active topics on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • London Road Improvements Stage 3
I try to cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #91

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 17 – 23 December.

The Manor Hospital, run by private company Nuffield Health, has installed a new MRI scanner replacing the original equipment dating from when the hospital opened in 2004.

The Friends of Warneford Meadow have set up a limited company as a charity to raise funds to buy the meadow from the Department of Health. The meadow is expected to go on the market early in the New Year.

The overall plans for the Barton West development of some 900 new homes was signed off by the City Council on Monday. Looks like it’s going to happen folks! The next step is for the developers to put forward specific planning applications for consultation and approval.

A man was arrested in Headington’s Trade Exchange shop on Tuesday morning.

The West Wing Atrium of the JR Hospital was the venue for carol singing twice this week: Wednesday evening with The Salvation Army and Songsters, and on Friday afternoon with the Abingdon Brass Band.

The two men charged with raping a woman in Bury Knowle Park in September (see original report) pleaded not guilty at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday and will stand trial in February.

Two new shops are opening soon in Marston: Oxybox take-away and a butcher’s shop called ‘Marston Meat’. Both are in the parade on Marston Road next to the petrol station on Cherwell Drive.

Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed that work to rebuild the collapsed drains which cause the road at Headington cross-roads to flood in even moderate rain is scheduled for next month (Jan 2013). They have also announced that work on the planned expansion of Thornhill Park & Ride will start in January. This will provide 500 new parking spaces and cost an estimated £3.6m part of which will be met from the Government’s Local Sustainable Transport grant.

Active topics on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • London Road Improvements Stage 3
  • Empty shops in Headington
  • Long-stay charging to begin at Park and Ride
I try to cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.

Headington Headlines #90

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 10 – 16 December.

Abacus College received planning permission last week to move in above Londis on the London Road.

A traffic accident involving two cars near the junction with Oxford Road closed Cherwell Drive/Marston Ferry Road for a time late on Tuesday afernoon. Buses were diverted.

The Headington Hill Conservation Area Character Appraisal was endorsed by the East Area Planning Committee on Tuesday. Links to all the documents are on @OxfordCity‘s website. Cotuit Hall is mentioned: I’ve updated my Storify timeline (see link on the left).

There was an informal public meeting on Wednesday about the County’s plans for improvements to the London Road between Bury Knowle Park and the Headington roundabout. My notes from the meeting are below. The @OxfordTimes also reported and a lively discussion is still happening on the H&M e-democracy forum. I’ve copied the County Council’s information sheet about how they plan to spend the Local Sustainable Transport Fund money here.

Martin Young, of 29 Old High Street fame, has resuscitated a 38-year old planning permission which he claims allows him to build three chalets on the site. He’s reported as saying his motive is to achieve a negotiating position with the Council.

A woman was taken to the JR hospital after being attacked by a dog in Aldbarton Drive, Barton on Saturday morning.

Also on Saturday a 3-car accident closed the Marston Road near the Oxford Islamic Centre for a while.

Active topics on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • London Road Improvements stage 3
  • Using your real name on the forum
I try to cover news from the OX3 postcode in Headington and out as far as Barton, Sandhills and Risinghurst (see map). To feed into next week’s summary you can comment on this article, or tweet either with the hashtag #ox3 or @mentioning @TonyOX3.