Headington Headlines

Headington Headlines #42

TonyOX3

It was a very quiet week for news in Headington and surrounding areas and what little I found mostly related to planning. But anyway, here’s my round-up for 12 – 18 December —

Rosemary Restaurant got a scathing review on the e-democracy forum (scroll to the end of the page). The forum also carried an extended debate over the absence of Sainsbury’s and Tesco from Headington and the merits of internet shopping, intermingled with reaction to Costa’s application to open a coffee shop in the old Cartridge World. The required change of use will go before the Area Planning Committee.

In other planning matters, both an application for a smoking shelter at The Six Bells and plans for 29 Old High Street were refused.

More significantly, two major planning documents go to the City Council today (Monday) – the Barton Area Action Plan which sets out the framework for the Barton East development, and the Housing Policy and Sites book with the Headington car park not preferred for residential development. Neither document includes the Ruskin Fields development favoured by Ruskin College. The Council will debate, possibly amend, and approve versions of these before they come back for further consultation in the New Year. Meanwhile Headington Ward councillors David Rundle and Ruth Wilkinson (@RuthWilk) will report back at their Ward Focus meeting at the Baptist Church on Old High Street at 6pm on Tuesday.

Not one but TWO Headington-related tweets this week, both on the subject of Costa:

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

  • No Sainsburys and No Tescos?
  • Planners holding the line
  • West Barton plan likely to go ahead?
  • Library

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 #41

TonyOX3

Here is my round-up of local news for the week 5 – 11 December —

Like them or loathe them, the Christmas lights in Headington sparked a big debate on the e-democracy forum this week.

Sobell House Hospice (by the Churchill Hospital) benefited from £200 raised by @OxTwitChoir (the Oxford Twitter Choir), organised by @Ox_Bex of Bayswater/Sandhills.

@TVP_Marston hosted a Coffee With Cops meeting at Café Bonjour on Wednesday, giving local people an opportunity to meet their local police team and raise any matters of concern. They report it went well.

The Masons Arms (@TheMasonsArmsHQ) made it to second place in CAMRA’s Oxford City Pub-of-the-Year competition. Far From The Madding Crowd was top.

Oxford City Council granted permission for The Bricklayers Arms in Church Lane, Old Marston, to become a four-bedroom house, with five new homes in the grounds. Oxford Car Audio on Cherwell Drive closed.

Costa Coffee have submitted a planning application (11/03106/FUL) to change the frontage of what was Cartridge World on the London Road. To open a coffee shop they’ll have to get a change of use agreed, which might not be easy.

The Barton Area Action Plan Proposed Submission goes to the City Council 0n 19 Dec. Download it here: http://bit.ly/uqjNek

My favorite Headington-related tweet this week:

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

  • Christmas lights in Headington
  • Londis corner shop in receivership
  • Library
  • Church Bells in Ferry Rd, Marston
  • Blocked drain/leak on corner of Headley Way and Staunton Road
  • Oxford Car Audio

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 #40

TonyOX3

Headington’s Christmas lights have been funded entirely by local businesses and voluntary organistations. The Council turned down an application for support, but local Councillors have chipped in from their discretionary ward budget.

In an event organised by Churches Together in Headington on Friday children and a donkey walked from St Andrew’s Primary School through Headington to All Saints Church knocking on inn doors. The donkey was later spotted being led down the main road.

Pickets were out at @Oxford_Brookes on Wednesday morning as part of the public sector workers’ strike over pensions, and protestors later joined the parade through the city centre.

Road works and diversion signs obstructing cycle paths and causing cyclists to ‘swerve’ into the road or onto pavements got surprisingly wide coverage and attention. Well, I was surprised anyway.

A taxi driver was robbed in Osler Road early on Monday morning, having been threatened by a group of men who got into the taxi at the Shell garage on the London Road. @TVP_Oxford appealed for witnesses and on Friday announced that six men had been arrested and bailed.

Bad feeling between Lord Mayor Elise Benjamin (@EliseDB)and John Kelly (ex Oxfordshire CC emergency planner) broke out again over the Mayor’s attendances at the repatration tributes near the entrance to the JR Hospital. Mr Kelly’s complaint has been rejected.

There was a complaint about deliveries in the middle of the night to the Keraleeyam Stores (London Road).

A planning application 11/02584/FUL to convert two retail units at 293 London Road (near Northfield Road) to hot-food takeaways was refused.

News broke that another pub is to close – The Crown & Thistle in Old Road.

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

  • Thornhill Park and Ride….again

  • Northway Pharmacy

  • Headington Car Park

  • Renaming places

  • Keraleeyam Stores

  • Crown and Thistle

  • Church Bells in Ferry Rd, Marston

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.