Northway

Headington Headlines #74

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 13 – 19 August —

@TVP_Oxford are appealing for information on three separate incidents. There was another robbery/burglary in Sherwood Place, Barton on Sunday 12 August. Also over that weekend there were three thefts from vehicles in Cheney Lane. Then in the early hours of Tuesday morning there was an assault & attempted robbery in Hollow Way.

@oxford_brookes released a set of architectural pictures (and some pictures of tea) showing off their new Abercrombie Building.

The Sikhs have started using the old Sharpe+Howse plumbers’ merchants building on the London Road as their new Gurdwara (temple).

Three separate development projects – two in Marston/Northway – involving Kevin McCloud have been delayed for the third time.

On Armistice Day in 1950 four trees were planted around Marston to commemorate those from the district who died during the Second World War. People have been worried that the one outside the old Friar pub would be felled or damaged when Tesco build their planned store there. Independent councillor Mick Haines is using some of his discretionary Ward money to install a plaque marking the tree in an attempt to protect it permanently. The Oxford Mail article mentions the locations of the other trees.

Barnado’s Viking House children’s care centre in Saxon Way announced the opening of a new ‘sensory room’.

@RuthWilk reported a good turnout for the Ward Focus meeting on Tuesday to discuss parking and related issues.

Caffè Corsica was open again by Wednesday. @amhogarth and @joe_bwab were among the first to try the pizza: they reported enthusiastically.

Work was done to raise and resurface the pavement and entrance to the service road on Old High Street between Monaco and Waitrose. Hopefully it will mean an end to the puddle, but more work is still needed on the drainage around the main crossroads.

Thames Valley Police held a Family Fun Day at Oxford Brookes’ Headington campus on Saturday.

My favorite Headington-related tweet this week:

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

  • Puddles outside Waitrose
  • walking dogs in Bury Knowle Park
  • Street lighting which remains on all the time
  • Empty shops in Headington
  • Save Bury Knowle Barn and Stables!
  • When is a cycle lane not a cycle lane?
  • New Lime Walk and All Saints junction “improvements”
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 #60

TonyOX3

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

Wood Farm residents have formed a ‘Friends of Magdalen Wood West‘ group to look after the eponymous woodland.

The Barton Area Action Plan has been formally submitted to the Secretary of State. I wrote a short blog piece about it, with links to the official documents. The next step is the Examination in Public: the provisional date and venue for this is 16 to 20 July 2012 in Oxford Town Hall, but this may change.

There was a distraction burglary at Headington Conservative Club in Windmill Road last Saturday (21 April) when two men stole charity cash collecting tins.

On the same day there was a major street brawl in the Wood Farm/The Slade area. According to reports, a gang of 30 men armed with hammers and dog chains attacked several Wood Farm residents. Two men and possibly a third were injured. Police suggest the attack might have been in revenge for an earlier burglary.

Costa Express have opened at the Shell petrol station on the London Road, but it’s only a coffee machine.

A question was raised at the full City Council meeting on Monday about the terms of a leasing agreement for the Northway Community Centre. It centres round a dispute over Cllr Roy Darke’s status as Chair of the Association. I suggest you start with the thread on the e-democracy forum if you want to know more. You can also see the question and answer on the video record of the meeting. Ignore the bit where it says "The recording of the meeting is unavailable" and play the Part 1 video. Scroll through to 39’30” to get the start of the question. Two short sections just after the start have been redacted but stick with it and the video continues. Feelings seem to be running high because after Cllr Bance’s statement (at about 46’40”) Cllr Altaf Khan claims he has been personally verbally attacked and leaves the chamber.

A new residents’ group, the Headington Hill Umbrella Group (HHUG), has been formed to represent the interests of local residents concerned about EF’s developments at Cotuit Hall and the former Plater College, both in Pullens Lane. They have issued an opening press release.

Work started on demolishing The Cavalier pub on Copse Lane, Northway. Accommodation for 58 students will be built in its place. Picture by @headingtonnews.

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

  • Controversy over the signing of the new Leasing Agreement in relation to the yet to be constructed Northway Community Centre
  • EF Academy plans for Cotuit Hall
  • The Cavalier pub
  • Restaurant application for former Tote betting shop in Marston Road
  • Is a wider process needed for consents for Transport Plans?
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.