Barton Park

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 #183

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 29 September – 5 October.

The Foxwell Drive town green public enquiry started last Monday and is scheduled to last another two weeks.

The much talked about and much delayed London Road roadworks are due to start on 13 October – details here. County Councillor David Nimmo Smith @DNimmoSmit1 said: “Delays are to be expected throughout the time when the road works are underway and everyone is being asked to review their daily journey route, mode of transport and time of travel and where possible consider alternatives.”

A teenager was arrested after a man was assaulted near the community centre in Underhill Circus, Barton on Monday.

The Headington Neighbourhood Forum held its first annual meeting on Wednesday. The Neighbourhood Plan process now moves into a consutation phase. Leaflets are being distributed throughout the area and you can also take part in the consutation online.
Links:

Oxfordshire County Council released traffic order documents relating to the @BartonPark_ development and the A40. They cover speed limits, access at the new A40 junction etc. (with an acknowledgement that the access proposals depend on the outcome of the Foxwell Drive Town Green inquiry). I’ve combined seven documents into one which makes them even more confusing than they were. Some of them cover locations well away from Barton Park as well as those which will concern Headington and Barton readers.

@see_emilyplay reported several cars were vandalised in Bateman Street overnight on Friday/Saturday.

The Manor Surgery in Osler Road challenged David Cameron over his conference promise for GP surgeries to open 7 days a week. The surgery has invited the PM to visit the surgery and see the current problems at first hand.

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

  • London Road-Lyndworth Close-Bus stop
  • Londis
  • What now for Headington?
  • London Road “Improvement” Scheme
  • Northway Town Green application and Barton Park
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.