Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 31 December 2012 – 6 January 2013.
The City Council’s Sites & Housing Plan, which specifies what kind of development will be permitted on particular sites throughout Oxford and establishes a number of housing policies, has been approved by the Planning Inspector. It will go to the full Council for final approval in February. I last wrote about this almost exactly a year ago and you can still see my map of the sites in OX3 with extracts from the document against each site. The Plan also creates or updates policies on student housing and HMOs.
In other development news The Oxford Mail reports that developers Haboakus have finally submitted planning applications for three developments in Oxford. Two of the developments are in Northway, the third in Cowley. I have so far failed to find the applications online so can’t confirm this is correct. Haboakus is the joint venture company formed by TV celebrity architect Kevin McCloud’s company Hab (it stands for Happiness, Architecture, Beauty) and the Oakus division of housing asociation GreenSquare (which used to be the Oxford Citizens’ Housing Association). These developments have been much delayed: I first wrote about them in Headington Headlines #3 back in March 2011. The Oxford Mail report suggests there may still be local opposition to the Northway developments. The planning applications are said to be for 21 one and two-bedroom flats to be built in Westlands Drive and 47 homes plus a new Northway community centre in Dora Carr Close. The Dora Carr Close/Community Centre site is outlined on this map.
Free parking at Thornhill P&R is to end, according to the County Council’s draft budget.
My favorite Headington-related tweet this week:
Active topics on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:
- London Road Improvements Stage 3
- Scout Hall in Quarry