Headington Headlines

Headington Headlines #191

TonyOX3

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

I blogged about the obscurity around the @BartonPark_ Reserved Matters planning documents, available online. There are 113 documents to absorb. But credit to Oxford City Council planning officers – within 48 hours of my mini-rant the document names had all been changed to something more meaningful.

The 20-bed Oxford City Community Hospital has moved from the JR to the Churchill. The move is said to put patients closer to other services.

@RosalindRogers posted this picture of a mural in Quarry Village Hall, uncovered during the on-going refurbishment.

A traffic accident outside Waitrose early on Friday evening closed Old High Street for a while.

Forget Black Friday, it’s Golden Monday! The Ford family who run everyone’s favourite hardware store Headington Homewares celebrate 50 years of continuous trading as a family business today. Congratulations! I’m told they are marking the occasion with 10% off everything this week.

Starting today, the Headington Live Advent Calendar @LiveAdvent2014 presents a different musical or artistic event in a different location every day until Christmas. Full details on their website, where you can download a full programme.

A busy week on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week: Active posts:

  • no lights
  • Cyclists on Pavements
  • Headington Festival Weekend 2015
  • Does the Old School British Gentlemen/Lady still exist in this modern age?
  • Save the date! #GivingTuesday – December 2
  • Barton Park: Planning application November 2014
  • Drivers going too fast and thinking that’s OK
  • Correction of previous submission – Care Home inviting community at Christmas
  • Parking at the JR
  • Problems with Royal Mail
  • I’d just like to say…
  • Dunstan Rd Speed Humps
I 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 #190

TonyOX3

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

The first feedback from @HeadingtonPlan Headington Neighbourhood Plan’s consultation on local issues was reported in @TheOxfordMail. Transport problems were top of the list, but restrictions on what the Plan can cover are likely to limit any effective pressures for reducing congestion.

Some residents in and around Quarry suffered low water pressure on Sunday last week and again the next day. Thames Water confirmed there was a problem and assigned engineers to trace and fix it. Things were back to normal later on Monday.

Morrisons closed yesterday, just short of 13 months after it opened. The company says all the staff will be relocated to other stores in the area.

A car driving in a bus lane was seized by police in Headington on Thursday. The driver was uninsured.

The last vestige of Headington’s windmill disappeared with Windmill House being renamed Matthew Wigglesworth House. As always, headington.org.uk has the complete history of the windmill dating back to the 13th century.

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

  • no lights
  • Bags of rubbish
  • Jack Russell Pub
  • Pub on Barton Park?
  • Old Road/Park Hospital Campus: Third consultation, Dec 2014
I 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 #189

TonyOX3

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

It was announced on Monday that Olympic rowing gold medallist Katherine Grainger will succeed Shami Chakrabarti as Chancellor of @oxford_brookes in March 2015. Neither Katherine or Shami seem to be on twitter (under their own names, anyway).

Independent Marston Councillor Mick Haines’ long campaign to get lights installed on the cycle path in the Croft Road park finally came to fruition.

The “Shark House” in New High Street has been up for rent several times in the past few years, but this time it’s gone wild on twitter and even made The Guardian. Canny marketing by agents @ScottFraserUK.

Furthermore, it seems shark house owner @Bill_Heine plans to move back there himself and is looking for “bubbly and gregarious” lodgers.

The ever sharp-eyed @HeadingtonNews noticed that Pullens Gate in Pullens Lane has been sold by agents @ScottFraserUK. It was on the market at an asking price of £2m. but I bet it went for a touch less. Mansion Tax, anyone?

Oxfordshire County’s Cabinet Member, Environment @DNimmosmit1 approved the proposed 50mph speed limit on the A40 northern bypass between the Headington roundabout and the Marston junction as part of the changes associated with the @BartonPark_ development. It won’t come into force until the new access junction is built, and there’s still no news yet about the Foxwell Drive Town Green application.

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

  • Oxford Hospitals Notice-Boards
  • Headington Festival Weekend 2015
  • no lights
  • Christmas lights in Headington
  • Temple Cowley Pools Public Meeting Mon 17th 6pm