Oxford Brookes

Headington Headlines #118

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 24 – 30 June.

The BetFred bookmakers in Cinnaminta Road off The Slade was robbed on Friday evening. Two people have been arrested.

W H Smith is planning to trial franchising local newsagents to run under its own branding. One of the first is reported to be in Headington. I’m guessing Crown News.

Emergency vehicles attended a Heyfordian coach in central Headington on Saturday afternoon after its engine caught fire. The passengers were evacuated (picture c/o @LazyGamerUK.

The vicar of St Andrew’s Church, Old Headington, joined twitter. Welcome to @DarrenMcFarlan2.

Wecome also to a new hairdressing salon which has opened in Risinghurst. Good luck to @GracieJs1.

Oxford Brookes’ Chancellor Shami Chakrabarti officially opened the Abercrombie Extension on Wednesday.

A planning application (ref 13/01588/FUL) has been submitted to build three four-bedroomed houses on the Crown & Thistle car park.

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

  • Interesting side effect of the road works at Wheatley
  • Headington bike hire scheme
  • Neighbourhood Plan for Marston?
  • Crown and Thistle
  • Supermarkets in Headington
  • Barton Road Cricket Ground
  • Disabled access to Headington Library
  • Plans for resurfacing of London Road between Bury Knowle and Green Road roundabout
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 #105

TonyOX3

Here’s my weekly round-up of local news for 25 – 31 March.

A man from Headington who was tackled by members of the public in the course of an attempted robbery at the Covered Market has died. He was named by @TheOxfordMail as Clinton Townsend, later corrected to Clint Townsend by Thames Valley Police.

Author Brian Aldiss did himself no favours with a strange contribution to Headington Monthly. In a one-page piece rather reminiscent of a personalised story-book he shoe-horned in mentions of the JR, Headington Homewares, Ruskin, Waitrose, Bury Knowle Park and Chancellors. I wonder if a similar version has appeared in other local magazines around the country.

William Hill are appealing against the refusal of a change of use on the old Cartridge World shop which is stopping them opening another betting shop.

The planning application (Ref 13/00570/FUL) for a change of use for the Marston Plumbing business on Marston Road (now closed) to become a taxi business with waiting room has been called in by the East Area Planning Committee.

The Oxford Mail picked up a story which first surfaced in February (see Headington Headlines #98) about the not-so-public proposed piece of public art that @EFOxford want to install inside their gates to comply with their planning permission conditions. To say “A row has broken out” is perhaps a bit strong when there’s only been one comment on the proposal.

@HeadingtonPlan joined twitter. If you didn’t know that Headington has embarked on drawing up a Neighbourhood Plan you haven’t been paying attention! A Steering Group has been set up consisting of Stuart Cooper, Mark Lygo, Ruth Wilkinson, Christopher Taylor, Veronica Hurst and John Nealon: further members are being sought. The Steering Group’s first meeting will be on 3 April.

The Oxford Furniture Warehouse is moving from their Abingdon Road store into the shop that was the short-lived Today’s drink shop at 85 London Road, next to Lloyds TSB. Their website says they sell “new, antique and good clean second-hand furniture”. They expect to move in next weekend.

The cycle lane markings on Windmill Road have been repainted.

There are reports that possibly 40 ancillary jobs could go at Oxford Brookes University as student numbers have fallen. Some 250 student rooms in halls of residence (out of about 5000) are unoccupied.

@Oxford_Labour declared their candidate for the Churchill Ward by-election – Susan Brown. She’s not on twitter; a retrograde step in my view after @joemcmanners. The by-election is on 2 May, the same day as the County elections.

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

  • Headington has 2 of the country’s most congested roads
  • Redevelopment of Northway
  • Bedroom Tax Demonstration – Saturday 16th 1pm – Bonn Square Oxford
  • Headington shop news 2013
  • E-Forum Protocols
  • Bus Users’ Forum | Thu 4th Apr | Town Hall | 18:30
  • Barton Road Cricket Ground
  • A Neighbourhood Plan for 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 #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.