Risinghurst

Headington Headlines #259

TonyOX3

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

The planning application (Ref: 16/00604/FUL) by Vital Energi for a 27-space carpark at the JR Hospital to be used by residents of Sandford Road while the road is closed during heat-pipe work has been published.

Plan of temporary car park
Plan of temporary car park

The Trust also explained why they couldn’t use the most direct route via Osler Road and Lime Walk. As Osler Road had just been resurfaced there is a 5-year ban on re-excavating.

All my posts about the project are under the ‘Energy Project’ tab in the main menu, and there’s a page of links and contact details here.

Two sheds in Collinwood Road, Risinghurst caught fire on Sunday last week (20 March). The fire spread to neighbouring trees and then a house. No-one was injured and the cause is being investigated.

Ruskin College announced the death of their Principal, Dr Chris Wilkes. He was appointed two years ago having served the College for many years as General Secretary. Vice-Principal Paul Di Felice has been appointed Acting Principal.

The national GP Patient Survey rates GP surgeries. A story in the Oxford Mail reports that of OX3’s surgeries, Wood Farm Health Centre has an overall satisfaction score of 94%; Manor Surgery – 91%; Bury Knowle Health Centre – 90%; Marston Medical Centre – 79%. Not all surgeries are covered due to insufficient data. You can search by postcode or GP practice name here, where there is much more detail of the good and not-so-good performances.

Aziz Restaurant @AzizOxford has moved into the Chequers in Headington Quarry. Their Cowley Road restaurant has closed.

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

  • Northway Estate
  • Access to Headington Proposals

Headington Headlines #254

TonyOX3

Your weekly round-up of local news for 15 – 21 February.

I haven’t written an Energy Project update for last week, but  one will follow soon. All my posts about the project are under the ‘Energy Project’ tab in the main menu, and there’s a page of links and contact details here.

I’ve also brought “Access to Headington” out of its hiding place under “Transport Plans” and given it its own link on the menu. The County’s official notice of the next round of consultations is there, and I expect there will be more posts to follow!

Headington Post Office moved to its new home in the Co-op on Monday. There were some teething problems: it was closed for a while on Tuesday.

The new Post Office inn the Co-op (closed at the time)
The new Post Office inn the Co-op (closed at the time)

Team Yellow, covering Wood Farm, won the Council’s Blue Bin Recycling League last month. They’ll need to choose a local good cause to receive the prize of £400. Two households also win a prize worth £30 each.

Headington Car Club – the car-sharing scheme – is to get two new parking places, one in Sandfield Road and one in All Saints’ Road. This is after the original proposal was rejected: the County wanted to find off-street sites but none have come available. See also HH 248.

It’s been reported that tower block leaseholders are considering legal action over the City Council’s intention to charge substantial amounts for refurbishment of the blocks.

New width-restriction bollards have been installed at the entrance and exit to Horspath Driftway Homebase car park. The gap is 7ft 6″, or 2.29 metres. It seemed a tight squeeze in my smallish car.

The north side of the A40 between Marston turn and Headington roundabout will be closed overnight from 8pm to 6am on Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 March. The Traffic Order says ‘three overnight closures’ so I assume that means until Thursday morning. The official diversion is enormous, clearly designed to discourage traffic from Marsh Road, Headley Way and the London Road, or trying to work its way through Elsfield and Forest Hill. It takes traffic back up the A40 to Pear Tree, round the ring road to Hinksey Hill, Heyford Hill and Cowley up to the Headington roundabout. Good luck with that. The same diversion will operate in the other direction on the next three nights when they close the other carriageway on the A40.

A40 closure diversion details
A40 closure diversion details

The group hoping to save The Ampleforth Arms in Risinghurst @TheAmpRevival is making a last-ditch appeal for funds to allow them to bid to buy the pub. Their window of opportunity runs out in March.

Jaya’s deli, on the London Road near Headington roundabout, earned a write-up in the Oxford Mail.

Sky broadband customers suffered a long loss of service which began around 10pm on Friday and lasted more than a day.

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

  • Tower Block Refurbishment
  • Disruption
  • Guardian story the danger posed by the Northway link road
  • Disruption
  • Possible Extension to Car Spaces in Bury Knowle Park

Headington Headlines #246

TonyOX3

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

A defibrillator has been installed outside Risinghurst Post Office

The first Hospital Energy Project liaison meeting was held on Tuesday evening. My report is here.

A nine year old was treated for smoke inhalation after a candle set fire to a towel in a home in Barton Village Road on Tuesday. Neighbours heard a smoke alarm and warned the family.

Barton Neighbourhood Centre served Christmas dinner to anyone wanting food and company on Christmas Day.

Twin baby girls – Francesca and Poppy – were born on Christmas day in the JR Hospital. “We had been planning to go to my Nan’s for the evening”, said father George Bishop.

Large crowds turned out to see the Quarry Morris men @HeadingtonQMD perform their traditional Boxing Day mummers’ play at the Quarry pubs.

Only one active post on the Headington & Marston e-democracy forum this week:

  • Disruption