burglary

Headington Headlines #104

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 18 – 24 March.

Several crime stories this week.

A £500 reward has been offered for information leading to the return of a stolen laptop. The burglary happened on Wednesday the week before last (13 March) in Trinity Road, Quarry.

Later in the week police issued a general warning about a spate of burglaries and thefts from cars in and around Headington.

They also released a CCTV picture of a man they want to talk to about the early-morning robbery at Greggs on 7 March.

Another robbery, this one at BetFred bookmakers in The Slade on Sunday 17 March. One of the culprits had what may have been a handgun. Police are asking for any information.

In other news, the County Council approved plans to expand Windmill Primary School (@WindmillOxford) to three-form entry.

Blockbusters finally closed its doors. Roll on Morrisons!

The Department of Health has put plans to sell Warneford Meadow on hold while Oxford Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust decides whether or not to buy the land itself. The Trust has pledged that if the purchase goes ahead it would honour a deal that allows the Friends of Warneford Meadow to maintain the 18-acre meadow.

West Barton developers @BartonOxford took to twitter to clarify that the planned Community Hub in the new development will not have a doctors’ surgery so shouldn’t mean the closure of the existing surgery at Underhill Circus. Provision of services for West Barton is not yet decided.

The Headington Neighbourhood Forum met formally for the first time on Tuesday. See my note and the draft notes of the meeting.

The local news media were lured into reporting a marketing puff by commercial vehicle tracking company @RAMtracking who claimed that The Slade and the London Road in Headington were among the top 20 (not top 10 as some reported) “most congested non-motorway roads in the UK”. The calculations behind this claim can’t be found on their website, but seem to be based on a comparison of either average or lowest speeds of an unkown number of commercial vehicles using their equipment between 8 and 9 am, compared in some unexplained way to speeds between 11 and 12 am. A good example of nonsense dressed up as statistical analysis. @Cyclox got in on the act with a filmed interview on @BBCOxford.

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

  • Bedroom Tax Demonstration – Saturday 16th 1pm – Bonn Square Oxford
  • Thornhill Park and Ride Expansion Plans.
  • Should Windmill School grow to over 600 pupils?
  • Headington has 2 of the country’s most congested roads
  • Is pollution in Headington increasing?
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 #97

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 28 January – 3 February.

An unpleasant aggravated burglary involving an attack with petrol took place on Monday morning at the Corner House pub on the corner of Hollow Way and Horspath Driftway. @TVP_Oxford appeals for information.

There was a multi-vehicle collision on the eastbound A40 between Marston and Headington on Thursday morning.

New shelters were installed over the ticket machines in Headington car park.

Oxford Scribes’ calligraphy exhibition opened in Bury Knowle Library. It’s on until 11 February.

Holy Trinity Church (Headington Quarry) issued a press release announcing a decision not to proceed with the proposed extension and agreeing in principle to interior changes subject to further design work.

Tesco put up some fencing on the old Friar pub site on Marston Road and started a local row because it encroached on public land. Cllr Roy Darke took up the case and the offending fencing will be moved back (see this message and earlier posts).

@Ruskin_college has applied to extend the validity of its planning permission for new student accommodation blocks. Permission was granted three years ago but shortage of funds means no work has started. The extension appeal will be heard at the East Area Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Headington Went Strictly on Saturday in a fund-raiser for @CLIC_Sargent.

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

  • power fluctuations
  • Long-stay charging to begin at Park and Ride
  • Empty shops in Headington
  • 2 new shops in Marston?
  • The Friar, Marston Road
  • Can anyone suggest a good window cleaner?
  • Pullen’s Lane due to be closed today
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 #94

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 7 – 13 January.

Police appealed for information about a burglary and an attempted burglary in Headington the week before last. The incidents happened in Peat Moors and Dene Road.

The Fire Service was called to Foresters Tower, Wood Farm late on Tuesday afternoon to attend to a small kitchen fire.

@TVP_Oxford are appealing for information or sightings of a black Range Rover LX08 YJH stolen from Merewood Avenue, Risinghurst Sandhills [corrected] on Wednesday.

The Headington Heritage blog carried an impassioned plea to prevent Bury Knowle Barn and Stables being transferred to private ownership for development. History of the buildings on headington.org.uk.

@Oxford_brookes has restricted parking at its Gipsy Lane site to visitors only. It used to be for staff as well.

@Ruskin_College‘s plans to develop Ruskin Fields for housing have been rejected by the government’s Planning Inspector.

Formal consultation has opened about @WimdmillOxford school becoming three-form entry. @RuthWilk explains why it’s important to let your views be known (again).

@RyeStAntony school has submitted two planning applications, one (12/03283/CAC) to demolish the existing bursary building, the other (12/03240/FUL) to build a two-storey classroom building, a single-storey extension to the Randall Building and a new entrance courtyard.

Oxford City councillors have approved Oxford University’s plans for a major new research complex on the Park Hospital site.

William Hill has submitted a planning application (ref. 13/00023/FUL) for a betting shop where Cartridge World used to be. The Oxford Times carried a story headlined “Anger over plans for betting office” implying that local traders were less than happy about the idea. However only one trader is quoted, saying the idea is “ridiculous” and wishing for a retail unit instead. Hardly evidence of widespread anger I suggest. There are already two bookies in Headington and for this application to succeed a change of use will be required.

I’ve started a new page on this blog specifically for planning matters: I’ll try to cover the major developments in the area. The first new entry is about the Haboakus developments in Northway.

Quite a busy week on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum. Active topics this week:

  • Scout Hall in Quarry
  • MISSING – Grey Long Hair Cat (Millie)/li>
  • Should Windmill School grow to over 600 pupils?
  • Volunteers needed to help with type 2 diabetes research
  • Good homes for used carpet?
  • Empty shops in Headington
  • Long-stay charging to begin at Park and Ride
  • Save Bury Knowle Barn and Stables!
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.