Headington Headlines #72

TonyOX3

It may have been all action in the Olympics but here in Headington it was rather quiet. Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 30 July – 5 August —

I’ve discovered @storify and put a sidebar link on the right. The first ‘story’ covers EF’s plans to develop Cotuit Hall.

There was another loss of water supply for a few hours on Monday, this time in Headington Quarry. Around 2000 homes were said to have been affected.

Torrential rain with hail, lightning and thunder on Sunday afternoon caused flash flooding in Marston. The ground floor of a block in Oxford Brookes’ Clive Booth Hall was also flooded.

Martin Young’s appeal against the refusal of planning permission to demolish 29 Old High Street was heard this week. City planning officers described the plan as “the second worst” they had ever seen.

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

  • Empty shops in Headington
  • Save Bury Knowle Barn and Stables!
  • No water in central Headington this morning (Tue 24 July 2012)
  • Shanghai house takeaway
  • Lack of seating in Bury Knowle Park
  • Disposing of electrical goods
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 #71

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 23 – 29 July —

From Italy to France: Café Corsica opened where Caffè Toscana used to be. @headingtonnews got the first picture.

There was a fire probably caused by an unattended candle in a house in Windmill Road on Monday. The family was evacuated and two people were taken to the JR as a precaution against smoke inhalation.

@TVP_OxNorthEast reported a spate of milk thefts in Marston & Northway.

When Holyoake Hall on the corner of London Road and Holyoake Street was built planning permission was supposed to include a restriction that the residents would not be allowed parking permits. It seems there was a cock-up and the provision was never included. So now they’re going to have permits after all. More on the e-dem forum.

Harcourt House in Marston Road has been bought from the City council by the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, aka the neighbours over the road. OCIS made an offer “too good for the Council to refuse” but has no immediate plans for the site.

The County Council is reported to be working on plans to upgrade and possibly widen the London Road between Headington shops and the Headington roundabout to incorporate a bus lane on each side along the whole stretch. The cost is unknown; timing may be 2014.

The Barton Neighbourhood Centre held a community fun day on Saturday to launch the Cleaner, Greener Barton initiative.

And continuing Saturday’s fun there was a free open-air screening of “Johnny English – Reborn” starring Queen’s College alumnus and Honorary Fellow Rowan Atkinson in Bury Kowle Park on Saturday night.

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

  • Participants for Brain scanning study needed!
  • No water in central Headington this morning (Tue 24 July 2012)
  • burning in the evenings
  • Parking permits to be granted to “car-free” development in Headington
  • Shanghai house takeaway
  • Empty shops in Headington
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 #70

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 16 – 22 July —

The Planning Enquiry into the Barton Area Action Plan went on all week in the Town Hall. The most significant development to emerge was @OxfordCity dropping its insistence on a 40mph speed limit on the Marston – Headington section of the A40. It looks like a 50mph limit could well be agreed with housing backing onto the road rather than facng it. There will be a two-day follow-up public hearing in September before the Inspector makes a final decision.

Oxford University revealed its plans for redeveloping the Park Hospital site on Old Road. There will be four new laboratories and a multi-storey car park. The site will be developed over the next eight years “into a revolutionary science facility”. Plans include a restaurant, shop and possibly a gym available to Headington residents. The University recognises it will be required to make a substantial developers’ contribution particularly to mitigate traffic problems in the area.

Martin Young announced his intention to stand for election to the post of Police Commissioner.

Bury Knowle Park was again awarded a Green Flag.

St Joseph’s Primary School won this year’s SOS School Build competition funded by Abingdon construction company Leadbitter. The £7500 prize wil be used to build an extension to the school music room.

On Saturday the Shell garage was again targeted by @GreenpeaceOxon protesting against plans to drill for oil in the Arctic.

Instead of a favourite tweet, how about this Headington-related Curiosity of the Week? There really is a website (well, a section of one) devoted to ‘You are here’ signs.

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

  • Buddleia Bother
  • Block Connectors Invite
  • Tar and feather dressing on Old Road /The Slade
  • Parish councils in Headington & Marston
  • Recommend a gas man?
  • Save Bury Knowle Barn and Stables!
  • Events in Headington & Marston area
  • Barton Area Action Plan: see what was submitted to Secretary of State
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.