parks

Headington Headlines #346

TonyOX3

Your weekly round-up of local news for 27 November – 3 December.

Cllr Alex Hollingsworth posted an update on cycle parking provision at Westgate. I’ve copied it here.

The latest planning application for 29 Old High Street was refused.

The planning application (ref: 17/02010/FUL) to build a Neuroscience Research Building at the JR goes to East Area Planning Committee next Wednesday with a recommendation to approve. The new 3-storey building will be tucked away at the back of the site next to Headington Cemetery.

Loation plan.
Location plan. Download the pdf

Headington Action @HeadingtonA has been ‘recognised’ by Britain in Bloom for its work in making sure “communal land in the area [is] thriving”. Well done to them!

And with thanks to Headington Action, Headington’s Christmas lights were switched on on Friday to the accompaniment of carols, mince pies and general seasonal cheer.

 

To mark National Tree Week last week Lord Mayor Jean Fooks planted the Friends of Headington Hill Park’s first tree on Saturday.

In an exciting match played in good spirit, @OxCityFC lost their 2nd round FA Cup tie 3-2 against Notts County on Saturday. The winning goal was scored in added time in the very last moments of the game.

The Headington branch of NatWest Bank is not one of the ones listed for closure in the bank’s latest round of cuts to face-to-face services. The full list is here; Oxfordshire is under ‘Midlands and East’.

The Vicky Arms @VictoriaArms was voted “Managed House Best Turn Around Pub” in Wadworth’s ‘Best of the Best’ awards.

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

  • Over-60s exercise classes starting in Old Headington

Headington Headlines #332

TonyOX3

Your weekly round-up of local news for 21 – 27 August.

Brian Aldiss
Brian Aldiss

Science fiction author and Old Headington resident Brian Aldiss OBE died last week a day after his 92nd birthday. For a full account of his links to Headington see the article about him on headington.org.uk.

There was confusion when electoral registration forms were delivered with return addresses and online registration links to Haringey instead of, or as well as, Oxford.

Friends of Lye Valley @friendlyevalley submitted their comments on relevant sections of the City’s Preferred Options. The report is not yet on their website but you can see a copy here.

Dunstan Park (at the top of Foxwell Drive/Dunstan Road) is shown in the City’s Preferred Options as ‘For further investigation’ – ‘Housing’. Oxford Civic Society added a supplement specifically about Dunstan Park to their comprehensive comments on the Preferred Options consultation. They say it should be re-classified as a ‘Rejected Site’ in the ‘Green Infrastructure’ category (‘Rejected’, i.e. not considered for development).

In March last year a scheme was announced (see “Health and Fitness in Barton Park“) under which NHS money is going to be used to encourage residents of the new development to lead healthy lifestyles. Now The Oxford Mail reports one of the first initiatives may be to give people discounts on their grocery bills if they lead ‘healthy’ lifestyles. The article also mentions ‘free bicycles’. Whether it will really happen remains to be seen. Also I can’t help thinking that the money could be better spent on health projects in Barton rather than in glossy Barton Park/Mosaicland.

Speaking of which, Mosaics/Barton Park launches its marketing campaign in two weeks’ time on 9 – 10 September. We’re promised an ‘interactive 3-D model’ of the development.

The latest planning application on 29 Old High Street was refused on Thursday.

My favourite Headington-related tweet:

Big Narstie is a well-known grime artist. Here he is adressing the Oxford Union in May this year, supporting the motion that “Kanye (West) is more relevant than Shakespeare”.

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

  • Barton Park Prices

Headington Headlines #329

TonyOX3

Your weekly round-up of local news for 31 July – 6 August.

Black Mamba Tattoos in Windmill Road has moved into the nearby Vente Hairdressers.

News broke on Tuesday that the Trauma Unit at the JR was unsafe if a fire broke out. There are several problems including, inevitably, the cladding. The Trust decided to evacuate the building and move patients and beds elsewhere in the hospital. This was completed by the end of Friday afternoon.

Connor Sparrowhawk’s mother’s personal details were leaked to medical staff facing a tribunal to decide if any of them were at fault over Connor’s death.

Barton residents are being offered a free course in video production and the chance to make a film about how they travel around the local area.

Some properties in Colwell Drive, Barton were evacuated on Thursday after a tree fell on a house. Luckily no-one was injured.

Bury Knowle Park is one of 6 Oxford Parks to be awarded a Green Flag this year.

I made a map of all 729 HMOs in OX3 (HMO = house in multiple occupancy). It’s taken from Oxford City’s published register dated 21 July 2017. Go on, take a look!

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

  • I see stagecoach has published a bus road design guide
  • Local Plan 2036