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

Headington Headlines #188

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 3 – 9 November.

Highfield Residents Association is sponsoring All Quiet on the Western Front – a programme of music and readings to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War – on Friday 14th November at 7.30pm at All Saints Church, Lime Walk.

The Oxford Mail carried a story saying residents in Barton don’t want the new Barton Park development to be segregated from the existing community.

Headington Singers commemorated the tercentenary of the death of dr John Radcliffe with a concert in Oxford Town Hall on Saturday. The programme included a new commission.

After finally getting approval, the long-awaited refurbishment of the City’s tower blocks should start sometime next year. Foresters Tower in Wood Farm and Plowmans Tower in Northway are the two in this area. The work involves enhancing the exteriors as well as adding insulation, new windows and heating systems. All the towers will have their balconies enclosed, with large glass windows to create a small conservatory space. This BBC report has more details and an artist’s impression of howw Evenlode Tower in Blackbird Leys might look.

After deciding not to appear at the Headington Ward focus meeting last week, Frontier Estates organised a public meeting on Friday. They were represented by a consultant. Frontier are the people who want to build student accommodation on the corner of Latimer Road and also have their eye on other land in and around Windmill and Kennett Roads. Here is their Team, presumably too busy to turn out on a Friday night.

Home deliveries of Headington Monthly magazine seem to have stopped, though @Headingtonnews reports that it is available free at the checkout in Tesco.

My favourite Headington-related tweet of the week:

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

  • No Help to Buy in Oxford
  • Revised Proposals for the Development of Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry
  • Oxford Hospitals Notice-Boards
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 #187

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 27 October – 2 November.

Holy Trinity Church in Quarry published revised plans for extending the building to provide a purpose-built toilet for those with disabilities and a small crèche/meeting-room and kitchen. Previous plans were rejected after considerable concerns expressed by parishioners.

Risinghurst’s fireworks will be on Saturday 8 November. Gates open at 6.30, tickets £3 for adults, £2 for children over 5 years old. It is the same evening as the big display in South Park.

The developers who want to build student accommodation on the corner of Latimer and London Roads – Frontier Estates – changed their minds about presenting their proposals at the Headington Ward Focus meeting on Tuesday and decided not to attend. The same people have been actively looking for sites in the Windmill Road/Kennett Road area but have not endeared themselves to local residents. There’s no indication on their website that they have any experience of delivering student accommodation, and their non-attendance at the meeting last week won’t help them win support for their Latimer Road scheme.

Law firm @WithyKing who took over local solicitors Edward Pilling (see Headington Headlines 185) made legal headlines when they took a pro bono case in the Family Court in Swindon. The lack of legal aid led the judge to make a scathing attack on government policy.

A mature Scots pine tree in Bury Knowle Park had to be cut down after developing a dangerous split in last week’s high winds. @grnlbs made this video of the job being done.

Two cars, a Mini and a Smart Car, were stolen from a house in Sandfield Road early on Thursday morning. It’s thought the thief or thieves entered the house through an unsecured front door and took the keys from the entrance hall.

Oxford City Council has produced a list of buildings throughout the city which will become free wifi hotspots next year under a Government scheme. Barton Neighbourhood Centre, Headington Community Centre, Northway Community Centre, Risinghurst Community Centre, Headington Library, Old Marston Library and Thornhill Park and Ride are all included.

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

  • Marston Park and Ride
  • Risinghurst Fireworks
  • Revised Proposals for the Development of Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry
  • Oxford Fiddle Group Concert – Headington Quarry
  • New coach service from Thornhill to London
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.