Caffe Corsica closure

This shop, which closed in January 2013, is classified as A1 retail. It was formerly the Chef’s Pantry; then La Plaza (which closed in 2004 when it failed to get a certificate of lawfulness (04/00942/CEU) authorizing its A3 café use); the Copacabana Café; and then the Caffe Toscano (which, despite its name, was deemed to be retail by the city council). The leaseholder was planning to sell the business to Martin’s estate agents, but they withdrew when the city council planning department told them that they would have to apply for planning permission for change of use, and that previous applications for A2 (office) and A3 (café) had been refused because of the Local Plan: 11/02344/PDC.

Windmill School expands

Oxfordshire County Council agreed in early 2013 that Windmill Primary School should have a three-class entry, making it the largest primary school in the county.

• Oxford Mail, 20 March 2013:
  ‘’Don’t break promise to us over expansion’ says Windmill Primary head”
• Oxford Mail, 13 March 2013:
  “Headington primary school set to become biggest in city”

• Oxford Mail, 29 November 2012:
  “Windmill Primary School expansion bid move forward”
• Oxford Mail, 22 November 2012:
  “Enforced expansion a ‘worst case scenario’”
• Oxford Mail, 20 October 2012:
  “‘We can enforce that extra class’”
• Oxford Mail, 12 September 2012:
  “Popular primary looks set to go three-form entry”
• The shop is classified A1 retail). It was formerly the Chef’s Pantry; then La Plaza (which closed in 2004 when it failed to get a certificate of lawfulness (04/00942/CEU) authorizing its A3 café use); the Copacabana Café; and latterly the Caffe Toscano (which, despite its name, was deemed to be retail by the city council). The leaseholder was planning to sell the business to Martin’s estate agents, but they withdrew when the city council planning department told them that they would have to apply for planning permission for change of use, and that previous applications for A2 (office) and A3 (café) had been refused because of the Local Plan: 11/02344/PDC.

Stephen Road

Application 13/02076/FUL for the erection of a two-bedroom dwelling at 7 Stephen Road was approved in September 2013. An earlier planning application 12/01926/FUL for a house on this site was refused on the grounds that (1)  it would be a discordant and contrived feature in the street scene and (2) there has been no field evaluation in respect of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery near the site.

Nos. 10 and 12 Stephen Road and adjacent garages were demolished in 2012, and eight new homes were completed in August 2013. Planning permission was granted in December 2008 (08/01961/FUL) for: “Demolition of existing property to create 4x3 bed houses, 3x1 bed apartments and 1x2 bed duplex apartment. On plot car parking. Retention of existing commercial unit and parking at rear.”

Gap in A40 near Risinghurst

Oxfordshire County Council’s 18-month experimental closure of the crossover gap in the central reservation of the A40 London Road dual carriageway at its junction with Collinwood Road started on 21 May 2012 ended in November 2013, and although Risinghurst residents back its reopening, it is to remain closed permanently.

• Oxford Mail, 23 November 2013:
  “Gap in A40 central reservation closed permanently”
• Oxford Mail, 20 November 2013:
  “Most people want a safety crossing despite gap closure”
• Oxford Mail, 14 November 2013:
  “A40 junction to stay closed but a crossing may be built”
• Oxford Mail, 11 November 2013:
  “Council prepares to rule on whether to reopen Risinghurst junction”
• Oxford Mail, 20 August 2013:
  “Estate residents back reopening of A40 exit”
• Oxford Mail, 20 July 2012:
  “A40 gap: ‘Build crossing or it’s blood on your hands’”
• Oxford Mail, 25 June 2012:
  “Highways chief to discuss safety junction closure”
• Oxford Mail, 14 June 2012:
  “A40 trial means trade is passing us all by”
• Oxford Mail, 19 May 2012:
  “A40 turns ban divides Risinghurst neighbours”

Cheney School now an academy

Cheney School became an academy in January 2013:

• Oxford Mail, 16 January 2013:
  “Cheney School becomes an academy”
• Oxford Mail, 24 May 2012:
  “Parents lose fight to stop academy plans”
• Oxford Mail, 9 May 2012:
  “Parents oppose bid for academy switch”
• Oxford Mail, 13 March 2012:
  “Parents’ backlash over academy bid”

Local elections, 2 May 2013

County council election (four new divisions)

An election was held in all the redrawn county council divisions of Oxfordshire on 2 May 2013. Just one county councillor now represents each of the four new county divisions that cover the Headington & Marston area, namely:

Barton, Sandhills & Risinghurst: Glynis Phillips (Labour)
Churchill & Lye Valley: Liz Brighouse (Labour)
Headington & Quarry: Roz Smith (LibDem)
Marston & Northway: Mark Lygo (Labour)

• County candidates in Headington & Marston with results
• Oxford Mail: Detailed results throughout the county

City council By-election in Churchill ward

Susan Brown (Labour), who served as city councillor for Churchill ward until 2006, was re-elected on 2 May 2013 in place of Joe McManners, who had resigned.

• Oxford Mail, 12 March 2013:
  “Antonia Bance joins Joe McManners in standing down from Oxford City Council”

Classics Centre at Cheney School

The East Oxford Community Classics Centre was officially opened by Professor Mary Beard at Cheney School, Headington on 24 October.

• Oxford Mail, 26 October 2013:
  “It’s classics for all as free public centre is launched”
• Oxford Mail, 10 October 2013:
  “Making classics come to life”

Abacus College

Abacus College (a small independent school, which also includes the Oxford Language Centre) took over the two floors of offices at Victory House (situated above Londis at 116–120 London Road, with entrance in Windmill Road) for educational (D1) use in early 2013. These offices had been vacant since November 2010.

Abacus College was based at Threeways House in George Street from 1992 to 2012. It was founded 40 years ago as St Aldate’s College and is part of the David Game College group. It has between 120 and 150 students, two-thirds of whom attend at any one time.

• Approved planning application 12/02482/FUL
• Oxford Mail, 26 November 2012:
  “College set to move out of Oxford centre”

Passive house for Kennett Road

Demolition of 53 Kennett Road started in week beginning 19 September 2011, and Oxford’s first passive house was completed in early 2013.

• Wikipedia: Passive house
• Approved planning application 11/00777/FUL

Pigeon at Greggs

The pigeons roosting on top of the charity shop next to Greggs are causing a problem: at least one of them regularly enters through its open doors, and each time this happens the shop has to close and throw away food.

• Radio Oxford story
• Oxford Mail, 25 January 2013:
  “Pesky pigeon puts food store in a flap”

Oxford Furniture Warehouse

The Oxford Furniture warehouse moved from Abingdon Road to the former Today’s Local drink store at 85 London Road on Monday 8 April 2013.

• Oxford Mail, 30 March 2013:
  “Shop will be moving to escape the floods”

Jack Straw’s Lane a “bicycle street”

In May 2013 the County Council completed a £70,000 scheme to make the section of Jack Straw’s Lane between Doris Field Close and Staunton Road the first bicycle street in Oxford, with a line down the middle separating two wide cycle lanes. Drivers are expected to wait behind cyclists instead of overtaking them.

• Oxford Mail, 20 May 2013:
  “New bicycle-only street stops rat-running motorists”
• Oxford Mail, 23 July 2012:
  “Lane to become first ‘innovative bicycle street’”

Old Road Campus

The building of two new University of Oxford medical research buildings on the Old Road campus was completed in 2013. Planning application 11/01054/FUL was approved on 3 August 2011 by the city council’s East Area Planning Committee for this new £57m development on its Old Road campus, and although the decision was called in to be reviewed, it was again approved on 31 August 2011.

• More information on Old Road Campus development

Local councillor Lord Mayor

Quarry & Risinghurst city councillor Dee Sinclair became Lord Mayor of Oxford in May 2013.

• Oxford Mail, 26 May 2013:
  “New mayors take the chair”

Community Speedwatch

Headington residents were in 2013 the first in the city to get speed-checking devices.

• Oxford Mail, 24 May 2013:
  “Headington pilots speeding campaign”

New book by Brian Aldiss set in Headington

Brian Aldiss’s latest novel Comfort Zone is set in Headington, and includes a proposal to convert the Anchor pub (a disguised Black Boy) into a mosque:

• Oxford Mail, 19 December 2013:
  “Sci-fi author Brian Aldiss gets a little close for ‘Comfort’”
• Interview in the Guardian following the publication of this book

White Hart is Oxford CAMRA Pub of the Year

The Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) awarded their pub-of-the-year award 2013 to the White Hart in Old Headington.

First attempt at Oxonbike

Oxonbike, Headington’s bike hire pilot scheme, was launched for the first time on 20 June 2013, but Grand Scheme Bike Share, the firm operating it, went into receivership in November 2013, disrupting the service in the short term.

• Oxford Mail, 17 November 2013:
  “Oxford’s ‘Boris bikes’ firm Grand Scheme Bike Share goes into liquidation”
• More about the scheme on the Headington & Marston forum
• Oxfordshire County Council:
  “Headington saddles up for OxonBike cycle hire scheme”
• Oxford Mail, 22 June 2013:
  “Bike rack duplication ‘oversight’”
• Oxford Mail, 19 June 2013:
  “New ‘Boris Bikes’ could be rolled out across city and county”
  

Transport in Headington

The county council consultation on transport problems in Headington and the surrounding areas closed on 11 October 2013. TonyOX3 posted here the responses of the Friends of Old Headington, Oxford Civic Society, the two Headington Ward LibDem councillors, and Headington Action.

Recycling bins in Headington Car Park

Oxford City Council replaced some of the larger bins in Headington car park near Waitrose with smaller ones in 2013 to make more room. There were then 14 recycling bins there, some of them provided by charities.

• List of the items collected, and photographs of the bins

New bus routes for Headington

New 800 and 900 bus routes came into effect on 23 September 2013 but were reported to have few passengers:

• Oxford Mail, 13 October 2013:
  “New Headington bus services ‘running virtually empty”

These new Stagecoach services are as follows (operating Monday to Friday only):

The existing 700 service was extended to Kidlington, serving Water Eaton Park and Ride and the JR, Churchill, and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

A new 800 service runs between the Thornhill Park & Ride and the JR Hospital (routed along Osler Road)

A new 900 service links the Thornhill Park & Ride, the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and the Churchill

• Oxford Mail, 20 August 2013:
  “A £1.5m boost for buses to beat Headington traffic jams”
• Councillor Ruth Wilkinson:
  "County Council chooses Osler Road for new bus routes"

New bus routes for Headington

The new 800 and 900 bus routes that came into effect on 23 September 2013 are reported to have few passengers:

• Oxford Mail, 13 October 2013:
  “New Headington bus services ‘running virtually empty”

These new Stagecoach services are as follows (operating Monday to Friday only):

The existing 700 service has been extended to Kidlington, serving Water Eaton Park and Ride and the JR, Churchill, and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

A new 800 service runs between the Thornhill Park & Ride and the JR Hospital (routed along Osler Road)

A new 900 service links the Thornhill Park & Ride, the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and the Churchill

• Oxford Mail, 20 August 2013:
  “A £1.5m boost for buses to beat Headington traffic jams”
• Councillor Ruth Wilkinson:
  "County Council chooses Osler Road for new bus routes"

Windmill Road flats

A planning application by Ivor Rhys Ltd on behalf of Haseley Homes Ltd for the rear of 82, 84 and 86 Windmill Road, next to Norton Close, was approved in June 2013: “Erection of 2x3 bed dwellings and 1x2 bed dwelling (Class C3) in terraced block with associated bin and cycle stores”.

• Approved plans 13/00820/FUL

The appeal against the refusal of their former plans for a two-storey block of five flats and three terraced homes was dismissed on 21 January 2013.

• Oxford Mail, 3 August 2012:
  “Developer appeals against rejection of Headington homes plan”
• Dismissed appeal 12/00027/REFUSE
  

New guest house in Headington

The Oxford Guest House opened at 228 London Road near the end of 2013.

• Approved planning application 12/00950/FUL

Headington Festival 2013: Pictures

The Headington Festival 2013 took place on Sunday 2 June.

• Pictures
• Big set on Flickr by Peter West

Ping! Oxford in Bury Knowle Park

A festival of ping-pong that ran to 7 September held its launch at Bury Knowle Park on 3 August:

• Oxford Mail, 5 August 2013:
  “Oxford to go batty over ping pong”
• Oxford Mail, 23 July 2013:
  “City is hoping for spin-offs from its ping-pong festival”

Headington Prep School

Work on the extension to Headington Preparatory School was completed in September 2013.

The plans (11/02528/FUL) were approved at the East Area Planning Committee on 3 April 2012 and comprise: “Construction of two-storey entrance foyer. Single storey extension to form kitchen. First-floor extension to provide store and teaching space. Two-storey extension to provide cloakroom. New entrance lobby at rear with canopy over library.”

• Oxford Mail, 7 April 2012: “New look for school”

Cartridge World: William Hill appeal lost

In 2013 William Hill lost its appeal to the Secretary of State against the City Council’s refusal of planning permission for the former Cartridge World shop at 106 London Road for “Change of use from retail unit (Use Class A1) to licensed betting office (Use Class A2). Alterations to side elevation and shopfront”.

• Planning appeal
• Refused application 13/00023/FUL
• Oxford Mail, 3 April 2013:
  “Headington bookmakers hope to beat opening refusal”
• Oxford Mail, 12 January 2013:
  “Anger over plans for betting office”

William Hill also put in two planning applications which were approved:

• “Installation of 2No. a/c condenser units and 1No. satellite dish to rear elevation and 1No. aerial on roof”: 13/00674/FUL
• “Installation of 2 x internally illuminated fascia signs and 1 x internally illuminated projecting sign”:13/00849/ADV

The shop closed since June 2011 and was advertised to let with Liggins Thomas for £30,000 per year.

In 2012 Costa Coffee was refused planning permission for mixed A1/A3 use at this shop in 2012 because it was contrary to Policy RC4 of the Oxford Local Plan:

• Refused: Change of use from A1 retail to mixed A1 and A3 café: 11/03052/FUL
• Oxford Mail, 14 December 2011:
  “Coffee chain’s arrival worries Headington traders”

Notwithstanding this refusal, two other applications from Costa Coffee for physical changes to the shop were approved:

• Two sets of internally illuminated fascia lettering: 11/03205/ADV
• New shop front: 11/03106/FUL
  Including new doors, and windows facing Kennett Road

Work to increase the floor size from 77sq.m to 126sq.m. by extending over the yard at the back, (following the approval of the earlier application 11/02506/FUL submitted by the landlord) came to a halt early in 2012.

Up & Running moved into the shop in November 2013.

Armed raid at Lloyds TSB Headington

Police called for witnesses to an armed raid at Lloyds TSB Bank in Headington at 9.53am on Monday 21 January 2013.

• Oxford Mail, 22 January 2013:
  “Did woman see bank raid getaway driver?”

Headington Goes Strictly

Jason Manning (Oxford City Project Manager on Headington-based projects at Oxford County Council) won “Headington Goes Strictly” at the Step-by-Step Dance School in Windmill Road on Saturday 2 February 2013, raising money for CLIC Sargent. Photograph

Other Headington people who entered included James Burns (Lettings Manager for Andrews in Headington) and Mandy Hasluck (a teacher at Headington Preparatory School).

Fatal accident on northern bypass

A woman died on the night of Friday 18/19 January 2013 on the eastbound carriageway of the northern bypass between the Marston and Headington roundabouts when her car overturned and hit a tree

• Oxford Mail, 19 January 2013:
  “Woman killed in car crash”

Social housing on Manor Ground site

The social housing on the Manor Ground site was completed in early 2013.

The hospital planning application for the Manor Ground site that was approved back in 2001 included social housing, but originally the developer only built the “unsocial” flats. Approved planning application 10/00952/FUL was finally submitted in April 2010 by the Greensquare Group Ltd for the social housing element (27 flats with 20 car parking spaces in two three-storey buildings).

Feltham Construction started work on building 27 flats on the Manor Ground site in week beginning 16 January 2012. At the Headington Ward Focus meeting on 19 June 2012, the suggestion of Blackburn Close for the new development was agreed. Mrs Blackburn (the mother of Mrs Barbara Woodhouse) lived nearby at Sandfield (now the site of Horwood Close).

• Oxford Mail, 5 July 2012:
  “No road name for U’s at Manor Ground”
• Details on Headington councillors’ website
• Oxford Mail, 21 January 2012:
  “Pledge to minimise Manor site disruption”
• Oxford Mail, 5 December 2011:
  “Manor work should start in new year”
• Oxford Mail, 4 August 2011:
  “Fears over flats development on Oxford United’s old home”

OAYP now in Bury Knowle coach house

Oxford Association for Young People (OAYP) moved from Garsington to the upper floor of Bury Knowle Coach House in April 2013: picture. This charity offers support, education, and activities to youth groups in Oxfordshire, and it also hosts the Oxfordshire Youth Awards.

• http://www.oayp.org.uk

Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry decided in early 2013 not to proceed with their proposed extension:

• Oxford Mail, 29 November 2012:
  “Plans to extend ‘Narnia’ church into graveyard upset relatives”
• Report by BBC News
• Discussion on Neighbourhood Forum
• Oxford Mail, 11 May 2012:
  “Vicar reassures congregation over church alterations”
  followed by letters on 11 June, 4 July, 6 July

Approved planning applications for the church site in 2013 were 12/01594/FUL (Laying out of tarmac drive with resin bonded surface between churchyard and Quarry Road) and 12/02031/CAT (Felling a larch tree in the churchyard).

All Saints Road/New High St corner

This city council depot site on this corner was sold for £150,000, and planning application 12/01112/FUL for the erection of a two-storey building comprising three flats (2x1 bed 1x2 bed) with ancillary amenity space at was approved at the East Area Planning Committee meeting on 14 August 2012.

Outline planning permission for the demolition of the existing building next door to 70 New High Street and the erection of two two-bedroomed flats was approved in 2011 (11/00774/CT3), after an original plan for three flats was withdrawn.

• Oxford Mail, 19 May 2011:
  “Flats plan gets approval despite parking fears”
• Picture of the derelict area
• Oxford Mail, 11 February 2011:
  “Council puts buildings up for sale”

All Seasons Guest House cannot expand

All Seasons Guest House in Windmill Road was refused planning permission in 2013 for “Change of use of outbuilding (use class B8) to form guest accommodation and alterations to existing guest house (use class C1) to create 8 bedroom guest house (use class C1) with ancillary works including parking and cycle provision”.

• Refused planning application 12/02712/FUL
• All Seasons reports on TripAdvisor

Thornhill Park & Ride

The county council introduced short-stay charges of £2.00 at Thornhill Park & Ride, and the increase of long-stay charges, in November 2013.

• Oxford Mail, 4 July 2013:
  “Council proposes more park-and-ride charges”

Work on creating the 500 new spaces at Thornhill Park & Ride commenced in January and was completed in July 2013. The number of parking spaces rose from 850 to 1,356. Before work could start, grass snakes had to be relocated. The site is to the east of the existing site, not as originally stated in the Oxford Mail below.

• Follow Thornhill Extension on Facebook
• Oxford Mail, 19 January 2013:
  “Popular park-and-ride site expansion begins”
• Oxford Mail, 25 May 2012:
  “Snakes make way for bigger park-and-ride”
• Approved application: R3.0164/10
• Oxford Mail, 7 April 2011:
  “University may help pay for park and ride”
• Oxford Mail, 25 March 2011:
  “Relief over scheme to expand Thornhill park & ride”
• Oxford Mail, 31 December 2009:
  “Thornhill park-and-ride set to get another 540 spaces”
• Check if spaces free at Thornhill

Transport grant for Headington

The county council spent most of Oxford’s £5m transport grant from the Government on the Headington area in 2013. Its plans were:

• To expand the Thornhill Park and Ride by the addition of 500 spaces (£1.8m)
• To create a new outward-bound bus lane on London Road in Headington towards the ‘hamburger’ roundabout (£500,000)
• To establish two new low-carbon bus services connecting Thornhill Park and Ride with the John Radcliffe and other hospital sites, and the city centre (£1.2m)
• To set up a “Boris bike” cycle hire scheme at the Thornhill Park & Ride (funded by part of the remaining £1.5m, which will also be used to promote the county’s car-sharing scheme).  Cycle hire will also be adopted at the city’s four other Park & Rides if it is successful.
  Oxford Mail, 7 July 2011: “Oxford to get its own ‘Boris bikes’” + Editorial comment

London Road east

A consultation on the proposed bus lane near the Green Road Roundabout closed on 25 July 2013.

• County Council information and documents
• Oxford Mail, 20 July 2013:
  “Plans to tackle congestion in Headington criticised for lacking detail”

Coppock Close

An outline planning application (12/03053/OUT) relating to the area to the rear of 1–9 Coppock Close submitted in November 2012 was refused in 2013. This was for “Demolition of two garages. Erection of 2 x single storey, one bedroom detached dwellings with provision of private amenity space, 2 parking spaces and cycle and bin storage.”

An earlier outline planning application to demolish the block of eleven garages to and erect three single-storey one-bedroomed bungalows was refused in March 2012 (11/03287/OUT) .

Bayard's Hill School redevelopment

Planners “raised no objection” to planning application 12/01542/CC3 for the demolition of the existing teaching wing, gym, kitchen and circulation to the west of the existing school hall and the construction of a new single-storey admin and kitchen extension, a new music entrance, a new two-storey KS2 infill block, a new KS1 extension, and a new foundation-stage extension.

In addition there would be a new pedestrian access on Bayswater Road. Altered pedestrian and cycle entrance on Waynflete Road, a new pedestrian and cycle entrance on Waynflete Road adjacent to the vehicular entrance, a new parking area for the Schools Music Service utilising the existing vehicle entrance, and the creation of a new hard games court adjacent to the playing field.

Warneford Meadow

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust in 2013 took over the ownership of Warneford Meadow in Headington from the Department of Health, pledging to preserve it for the community.

• Oxford Mail, 29 September 2013:
  “Change of ownership secures Warneford Meadow future”
• Full information about the meadow, including media reports

C.S. Lewis’s home in Risinghurst

Sheltered housing proposal

The C.S. Lewis Foundation and C.S. Lewis’s stepson Doug Gresham were shocked by a scheme to build sheltered accommodation with an access road running past The Kilns and the neighbouring nature park in Risinghurst.

• Oxford Mail, 30 November 2013:
  “CS Lewis’ stepson fights old folks’ housing on Narnia”

The nature reserve

C.S. Lewis’s stepson Douglas Gresham toured the "Narnia" nature reserve in Risinghurst and pronounced it "shabby":

• Oxford Mail, 4 December 2013:
  “A tour of the former home of C.S. Lewis”

Ronald McDonald House at the JR

Ronald McDonald House Charities want to built a new £5m unit where more parents can stay when their children are patients at the Oxford Children’s Hospital.

• RMH Oxford
• Oxford Mail, 22 May 2013:
  “New unit will help parents of young hospital patients”