Headington Headlines #247

TonyOX3

A happy New Year to all readers! Here is your weekly round-up of local news for 28 December – 3 January.

First, a round-up of latest developments on the Hospital Energy Project:

There’s some good news for residents affected by the Hospital Energy Project road closures. As discussed at the recent liaison meeting, the Trust has now confirmed that people can apply for up to 25 free visitors’ parking permits for their own parking zone or a neighbouring one. Details on the Trust website.

For those of you interested in the legality or otherwise of the County Council giving permission for the road closures needed to lay the heatpipe, their Chief Legal Officer’s position statement is given in full on the Headington LibDem Councillors’ website. I’ve posted some short quotes here.

The County Council’s website now has a page about the project.

This twitter conversation reflects a strong strand of local opinion (click the image to see it all).

Remember, the first road closure starts today: All Saints’ Road between Latimer Road and Stapleton Road junctions.

All my posts about the project are under the ‘Energy Project’ tab in the main menu, and there’s a page of links and contact details here.

In other news, a planning application (ref: 15/03642/RES) under Reserved Matters has been submitted covering the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping of the first phase of @BartonPark_.

The planning application for the improvement to the Manor Surgery car park is online (ref: 15/03694/FUL).

The shisha bar planning application (mentioned in HH 240) has been refused.

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

  • Disruption
  • £12.m transport improvements for Headington: exhibitions and consultation
  • Barton Park development
  • Allotments free at Pullens Lane
  • Grit?

County Council’s response on legalities of road closures

TonyOX3

For those of you interested in the legality or otherwise of the County Council giving permission for the road closures needed to lay the heatpipe, their Chief Legal Officer’s position statement is given in full on the Headington LibDem Councillors’ website.

ruthwilkinson.mycouncillor.org.uk/2016/01/02/county-councils-position-statement-on-energy-pipe-project/

You should read the whole statement, but to whet your appetite I’ve selected a few quotes:

Clearly officers considered they should have done more and you have received an apology.  I am not sure I can add much to that.  I believe the County did urge the Trust to undertake consultation as they are the key players in this Scheme.

Vital Energi are a licensee, not a statutory undertaker.  Having said that, it is a condition of the licence that they abide by the provisions of the New Roads and Street Works Act.

… the granting of a licence is a function delegated to officers. … [It] would not be a key decision which requires an Cabinet/Executive decision.

The ownership of the subsoil and notification that may need to be made to the owners of that is, as I say, a matter for the Trust undertaking the work.

… the County has agreed that affected residents may apply for Visitors Permits to park in adjoining streets, outside of their designated Controlled Parking Zone.