With the County Council’s public exhibitions finished less than 2 weeks after the Access to Headington scheme was announced, local councillors have stepped in and have organised several opportunities for local residents to learn more about the proposals. Here are the details:
1) A street surgery in Windmill Rd/Langley Close, Thurs 23 July from 6:30 to 7:30 pm;
2) A street surgery in Osler Rd/The Croft, Thursday 30 July from 6:30 to 7:30 pm;
3) An open meeting for Headley Way residents (and others), Monday 3 August at 6:30pm, St Anthony of Padua hall. The detailed plans will be on display;
Access to Headington – status and objectives
Along with a few other interested people I had the opportunity of a full discussion of the Access to Headington plans with Transport Planning officers from the County Council. I shall be sending them my comments as part of the consultation exercise and will post them here too. Meanwhile, here is some more information about the aims and status of the plans.
The proposals which have been on show and which can be downloaded from the County website are at the feasibility stage. There has so far been no exploration of what lies below the ground so ideas may have to change when this is done and costs can be better estimated. The next stage, moving from ‘feasibility’ to ‘preliminary design’, will be done by consultants appointed by the County.
The money for the scheme is coming in large part from Government funds made available through the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Oxfordshire Growth Board (OGB)*. These organisations channel government money in support of economic growth in the region, which is one of the present government’s key objectives. In bidding for funds the County had to show how the scheme would support economic growth, so the objectives of the scheme are “to facilitate access to employment sites” in Headington. This means that there may well be other desirable improvements to local roads that fall outside the scope of the scheme. The money has to be spent by the end of March 2018.
Consultation on this stage of the scheme closes on 7 August. There’s more information on how to comment on the County’s website – see the link above.
* Other funds will come from contributions from developments such as Barton Park.
Headington Headlines #222
Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 6 – 12 July.
There was a fire in a 14th floor flat in Forester’s Tower, Wood Farm on Sunday evening last week (5 July). Fire and Rescue crews attended, the occupants were evacuated safely and the fire was quickly put out.
Porters at the JR Hospital, who are employed by private company Carillon, have voted to strike over the company’s proposals to cut their wages.
BBB Stores (the household goods store next to the Post Office) has finally ceased trading, according to a sign in the window.
There’s a public meeting about the Stansfeld site today (13 July). Find out who might buy it, and help protect the woodland. It’s in Quarry Village Hall, Quarry Road at 19:30.
@BartonPark_ developers Hill showed the detailed plans for phase 1 of the new development at an exhibition in Barton on Wednesday.
Barton Community Association is looking at the possibility of forming a Parish Council which would bring together the existing Barton estate and the new @BartonPark_ development. Councillor Van Coulter @VanCllrvcoulter (Barton & Sandhills) is backing the idea.
And still in Barton, the City Council has announced that it will make £4.7m available for regeneration projects on the estate in parallel with the building of Barton Park. Just how the money will be spent is still being determined, but residents are promised the chance to have their say.
It was the very last Friday Headington Farmers’ Market on Friday (Aaaaah!). Starting on Saturday 25 July it will become a weekly Saturday market for a trial period. (Hurrah!)
@WindmillOxford was delighted to get an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating after a recent inspection.
Active posts on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:
- Sewing Machine help
- £12.m transport improvements for Headington: exhibitions and consultation
- Lord Lieutenant presents local company with second Queen’s Award
- Petitioning Oxfordshire County Council for Quarry Hollow Traffic Calming and pedestrian safety