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HEADINGTON NEWS ARCHIVE for 2018

Planning appeals in Headington in 2018

Seven appeals against decisions made by city council planners were made to the Planning Inspectorate in 2018, of which two were decided by the end of the year:

Land west of Town Furze (appealed 30 August 2018)

This appeal against refusal of the second planning application for the land west of 75 Town Furze (which is directly above the Lye Valley South Fen) has been DISMISSED. This was for “Erection of 2 x 3-bed and 2 x 4-bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3)” (17/02437/FUL).

304 London Road (appealed 3 September 2018)

Appeal against refusal of “Change of use of dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to a House in Multiple Occupation (Use Class C4)” (18/00266/FUL).

This appeal has been DISMISSED, and the Planning Inspectorate has clarified that when counting the number of HMOs in the 100-metre street length each side of a proposed HMO, the application itself should be included

The city council's Policy HP7 states that planning permission will only be granted for the change of use of a dwelling in Use Class C3 to an HMO where the proportion of buildings used in full or part as an HMO within 100 metres of street length either side of the application site does not exceed 20%. On 29 March 2018 the city council refused a plan for a change of use of 304 London Road to an HMO, citing Policy HP7

Brookes: Headington Hill site

Clive Booth Student Village
In October 2018 Oxford Brookes University submitted a full planning application to gain 500 extra bed spaces by demolishing Blocks C, F, G, H, J, K, L, and M of Clive Booth Student Village and erecting 1,077 student bedrooms with associated communal and social facilities:

Replacement of Helena Kennedy Building
The planning application by Oxford Brookes for the demolition of the existing Helena Kennedy building and the erection of replacement academic building for the Faculty of Technology, Design, and Environment was approved on 1 August 2018:

The designs were shown at a public exhibition in March 2018:

Review of Oxford ward boundaries

The Local Government Boundary Commission is carrying out a review of the Oxford city council ward boundaries. The main proposals for the Headington area were:

  • Barton & Sandhills ward to be renamed Barton ward, but will continue to incorporate Sandhills
  • Barton Park to be included in Barton ward
  • Area between Barton Park and Barton Road to transfer from Barton & Sandhills ward to Headington ward
  • Staff accommodation in John Radcliffe grounds to transfer from Headington ward to Headington Hill & Northway ward.
Care Home, Pullen's Lane

On 7 November 2018 the East Area Planning Committee refused the following planning application submitted by Frontier Estates in April 2018 relating to 1 Pullen's Lane: “Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a 55 bedroomed care home with associated car parking, landscaping and infrastructure”:

Background

Frontier Estates held a public exhibition on 27 July 2016 at St Anthony of Padua Church Hall of new plans for a 55-bed care home on the site of the present bungalow at 1 Pullen's Lane:

They made two earlier applications for a care home on this site:

(1) The first application was for “Demolition of existing house and flat. Erection of 55-bedroom care home facility on three levels, together with 17 car parking spaces, landscaping and associated works”. This was rejected in August 2014:

(2) The second application was for for “Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a new 55 bedroom care home with associated landscaping, hardstanding and infrastructure”. This was withdrawn in May 2016.

Other activity by Frontier Estates in Headington

Frontier Estates completed Beech House on the corner of Latimer Road just in time for the start of the 2017/18 Brookes academic year.

They have also made approaches to house owners in other parts of Headington, as this discussion on the Headington & Marston Neighbourhood Forum reveals:

Bullingdon Community Centre

Agreement was reached in principle in 2018 between Oxford City Council and the Bullingdon Community Association for the demolition of the current defective building and its replacement with a new purpose-built facility using off0site modular construction methods

The initial plans approved in March 2018 for “Part demolition of existing community centre. Erection of part single part double height front and side extension” were abandoned when the city council discovered that a filled-in quarry was buried beneath the building:

City Council election results 2018
By-election in Headington ward, 19 July 2018

Stefanie Garden (LibDem) was elected as the new City Councillor for Headington ward to May 2020, replacing Councillor Ruth Wilkinson (LibDem) who retired on 29 May 2018.

There was a 36.61% turnout and the results were as follows:
   Stefanie Garden (LibDem): 949
   Georgina Gibbs (Conservative): 124
   Ray Hitchins (Green): 67
   Simon Ottino (Labour): 419

Elections that took place on 3 May 2018

Three new councillors were elected to May 2022. Roz Smith (LibDem) took Quarry & Risinghurst ward from Dee Sinclair (Labour). Martyn Rush (Labour) replaced Mark Ladbrooke (Labour) in Barton & Sandhills ward, and Joe McManners (Labour) replaced Farida Anwar (Labour) in Headington Hill & Northway ward.

Heritage Assets in Headington

Oxford City Council is compiling a register of heritage assets of local value, and in February 2018 consulted on the waiting list of nominations of assets to the east of the city and there were 61 responses, mostly positive.

On 4 July 2018 the East Area Planning Committee approved all fifteen in nominations in the current round, which include the following eight in Headington:

  • All Saints Church, Lime Walk
  • All Saints Vicarage, 85 Old Road
  • Brasenose Farmhouse, Eastern bypass (technically OX4, but has always been part of Headington)
  • Hillsboro, No. 14 Holyoake Road  
  • Cuckoo Lane
  • 6 Perrin Street (New Headington Infant School) and 18 Windsor Street (schoolmistress's house)
  • St Francis of Assisi Church, Hollow Way
  • Scout hut (former chapel), Perrin Street

In addition on 10 July 2018 the West Area Planning Committee approved the following nominations:

  • Warneford Meadow.

The 70 Heritage Assets in Oxford that have already been listed

Holy Trinity Church extension

The Consistory Court of the Oxford Diocese judged in June 2018 that the extension to Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry should go ahead:

On 7 September 2016 the East Area Planning Committee approved the planning application by Holy Trinity Church for “Erection of single-storey extension to north elevation”:

The church withdrew an earlier planning application submitted in February 2015 so that pre-application discussions could be held with the planning officer.

St Luke's Hospital expansion

Work started in 2018 on a new extension at St Luke's Hospital in Latimer Road. In September 2016 planning permission was granted for “Removal of the existing pitched roof, a new reception area with 2 additional bedrooms over, an off-site constructed second storey to house 20 new bedrooms and associated external works”:

Cycling report recommendations for Headington

Andrew Gilligan, former cycling commissioner for London who helped deliver London's first segregated cycle superhighways, produced the following report, published on 2 July 2018, for the National Infrastructure Commission:

He reports that five high-quality segregated or low-traffic routes should be created in Oxford, of which two pass through Headington: see paras 72 and 74, reproduced below.

72. Eastern Arc – Main road route, segregated or semi-segregated throughout, along London Road from Brookes University to Headington, Thornhill park and ride and continuing to Wheatley, including major improvements to Barton roundabout. Branches to John Radcliffe Hospital via filtering on Osler Road; to Old Road campus and Churchill Hospital site via filtering on Lime Walk. Links with existing "Access to Headington" scheme on The Slade and Headley Way. This route, particularly aimed at "last mile" cyclists, would link Thornhill park and ride to many major employment and university sites in the Eastern Arc.

74. Marston cyclepath – Extension of existing, successful route from new Marston to John Radcliffe Hospital and New Barton via short stretches of improved track on Marston Road, filtering on Jack Straw's Lane, better crossings of Marston Road and Headley Way, improved track on the hospital approach road, crossing of A40. The "Access to Headington" plans for this section of Headley Way don't provide a good enough crossing.

Possible power plant at Warneford Hospital

The possibility of building a power plant at the Warneford Hospital to provide heat for Oxford Brookes University, Headington School, and Cheney School (and ultimately for other parts of Oxford) has been mapped out by energy experts.

The city council is now tendering for a detailed project development study. The proposed plant would be within the footprint of the Warneford Hospital, and not (as suggested by the Oxford Mail) in Warneford Meadow.

New office building for All Saints Road

Building started in autumn 2018 of a new two-storey office building in All Saints Road between Nos. 7 and 9 (at the rear of 73 Lime Walk):

An earlier application for an office building here was approved in September 2015 (15/02281/FUL), but an application to remove conditions from the plans was refused in May 2017 (17/00435/VAR).

Old Road Campus/Churchill & Park Hospitals
Link Street

A planning application has been approved to form a Link Street around the campus:

Boundary Brook House (former Park Hospital)

The former Park Hospital is undergoing alterations, and three single-storey brick-built buildings with flat roofs, one timber hut, and three outbuildings have been demolished. A new pedestrian and cycle link from Boundary Brook House into the wider Old Road campus will be provided. Part of the car parking on site will be retained until the nearby Amenities Building and car park is complete.

Planning permission was granted on 16 January 2018 for “Change of use of outpatient clinic to teaching and research use (Use Class D1). External alterations to southern elevation. (Amended Description)”:

Sobell House

The Sobell House Charity is building a new specialist facility at the Churchill Hospital aimed at patients with more complex illnesses such as dementia. It will overlook Southfield Golf Course and cost £5m.

New Heart Centre

A new £45m heart centre, jointly run by the University of Oxford and the British Heart Foundation, is planned for 2018:

Precision Cancer Medicine Institute

Universities, Science, and Cities Minister Greg Clark visited the Old Road campus on 23 October 2014 and announced that a new £110m cancer centre, the Precision Cancer Medicine Institute would open in Headington. It will be on the Churchill Hospital site, south of Roosevelt Drive and will have 200 workers studying drug, surgery, and radiation therapy in cancer patients.

52 new homes at Bayswater Fields

Cala Homes marketed the first new homes off Waynflete Road and Bayswater Farm Road on the site of the former Bayswater Park at prices ranging from £300,950 to £715,950.

The land comes under South Oxfordshire District Council, but Oxford City Council was also involved because the plans included the demolition of 39 and 41 Waynflete Road to provide access. Hence both councils approved this planning application submitted in 2014 by Cala Homes (Chiltern) Ltd:

“Demolition of existing pair of semi-detached houses (39 and 41 Waynflete Road). Erection of 52 houses and flats (including 40% of net increase as affordable homes) in single-storey buildings, two-storey buildings, and two-storey buildings with rooms in roofs (47 dwellings proposed off Waynflete Road and 5 detached dwellings off Bayswater Farm Road). Construction of roads and footpaths including new accesses off Waynflete Road and Bayswater Farm Road. Provision of open space, parking, garages and landscaping. NB Demolition of existing houses, estate road and only part of new build in Oxford City District”.

The plans were approved by South Oxfordshire District Council in August 2016, and the East Area Planning Committee of Oxford City Council agreed to the access from Waynflete Road the following month:

The preliminary construction management plan was approved in December 2016:

 

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New shops and businesses in 2018
Innovation Group

This office opened at 9A Windmill Road (formerly bikes + Black Mamba Tattoos) in February 2018.

Strutt

This opened in the former Daisy Chain shop at 9 Windmill Road on 1 June 2018.

Beirut Lebanese restaurant

3 Manor Buildings, Osler Road

Jacobs Brasserie closed down in May 2018 and is under new ownership. The Beirut Lebanese restaurant opened here on 30 July 2018.

Reina Grill (Turkish-themed)

137a London Road (next to Bury Knowle Park)

The Reina Grill opened on Saturday 28 July 2018.

Planning approval was granted in May 2017 to turn this former office into a hot-food takeaway (17/00639/FUL). Refurbishment started in 2017, with a sign in the window stating that this grill house would be opening shortly.

Following the approval in November 2017 of a second planning application for a single-storey rear extension (17/02505/FUL), work has been concentrated on the back of the building.

In May 2018 Reina Grill was granted planning permission for an illuminated fascia sign (18/00703/ADV)

This shop was tacked on to the end of the row of former Victorian houses called Westbourne Terrace in the 1960s (61/11381/A_H). It was latterly the office of Connell's estate agents, and was vacated in May 2016 when they moved to larger premises nearby at 129–133 London Road. The premises were offered for sale (offers in the region of £400,000); alternatively a new lease could be offered at a commencing rental of £27,500 per annum. There was a restriction on not using the premises for estate agency, lettings, or financial services.

 

Offices in Headington centre
Former Withy King (Edward Pilling) office

Withy King Solicitors closed their Headington office at 122B London Road in 2018, and Ferguson Bricknell solicitors took over the premises. (They had to move out of their offices at Kingsway House on the north side of the London Road as these were turned into flats in 2018.)

Offices above Caffè Nero (Victory House)

These were marked as LET AGREED since October 2018.

the two floors above Caffè Nero at Victory House at 116-120 London Road (on the corner of Windmill Road) were formerly offices, but currently have D1 ("non-residential institution") usage.

Abacus College, which formerly occupied the first and second floor, went into liquidation in August 2017. Since that date the premises were advertised to let at £75,000 per year.

Victory House was built in c.1982 (planning permission 80/00694/NF)

Offices above Lloyds Bank (Charterford House)

The first-floor offices above Lloyds Bank at Charterford House, 87 London Road, vacant since 2015, appear to have been let. They were originally advertised to rent at £18,500 per annum, but this was reduced to £12,500 (although brochure states £12,000).

Charterford House was built in c.1984 (planning permission 82/00838/NF).

The second floor of these offices was currently occupied by
Nigel Grice & Associates

 

Six Bells pub

In June 2018 Greene King advertised the Six Bells to let at a rent of £40,000 per year. It was taken by Sheldon Inns and reopened as a food pub in October 2018.

First World War 100-year remembrances: 2018

35 Headington men and one woman died in 1918.

January and February 1918

No deaths

March 1918

Poppy Private Albert Kislingbury (24) of the OBLI, brickyard labourer who lived at 97 Old Road, killed in France on 21 March 1918 and buried at the Chapelle British Cemetery

Poppy Private William Neville (22) of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, gardener who lived at 13 Bateman Street, died of wounds in France on 21 March 2018 and remembered on the Pozières Memorial

Poppy Private Jack Gardner (30) of the Worcestershire Regiment, waggoner who lived at 62 New High Street, killed in action in France on 22 March 1918 and buried in the Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery

Poppy Private George Trafford (20) of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who lived at Shotover Hill Place, died of wounds in France on 23 March 1918 and buried at the Beaulencourt British Cemetery

Poppy Major Hugh Davenport (32) of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, solicitor and deputy clerk to the county council who lived at Davenport House, killed in France on 24 March 1918 and buried at the Ham British Cemetery

Poppy Rifleman Arthur Westell (27) of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, gardener who lived at 3 Gardiner Street, died in France on 27 March 1918 and buried at Rouy-Le-Petit churchyard

Poppy Lance Corporal Thomas Cooper (22) of the OBLI, bricklayer's labourer who lived at Shotover Hill Place, killed in action in France on 31 March 1918 and remembered on the Pozières Memorial

Poppy Private Thomas Tomkins Parker (22) of the Worcestershire Regiment, plumber's apprentice who lived in The Croft, killed in action in France on 31 March 1918 and remembered on the Pozières Memorial

April 1918

Poppy Private Herbert White (26), a nursery gardener who lived at 40 New High Street, died of wounds in France on 2 April 1918 and buried in the St Sever Cemetery extension

Poppy Gunner George Vyles (34), nurseryman of 21 Windsor Street, killed in action in France on 8 April 1918 and buried in the Roye New British Cemetery

Poppy Private Anthony Kimber (37), a builder who lived on the London Road ("Posh Fish" building), died of wounds in France on 17 April 1918 and buried at the Haringhe Military Cemetery in Belgium

May 1918: no deaths
June 1918

Poppy Private Aubrey Horwood  (20), former errand boy in a cycle shop, who lived at Old Road in Quarry, killed in action in Italy on 15 June 1918 and buried in the Boscon British Cemetery.

Poppy Private Albert Neville (24), nurseryman who lived at 11 Windsor Street, died in France on 30June 1918 and buried in the Sarralbe Military Cemetery.

July 1918

Poppy Serjeant Harold Dennis (35), a tailor who lived with his wife and child at 36 Holyoake Road, died in a military hospital in Birmingham on 4 July 1918 and buried in Headington Cemetery.

Poppy Private Arthur Williams (27), a butcher's assistant who lived at 101 Lime Walk, died of wounds in Belgium on 29 July 1918 and buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

August 1918

Poppy Private John Newell (29), a farm labourer who lived at Barton with his wife and two children, died in Italy on 8 August 1918 and buried in the Montecchio Precalcino Communal Cemetery.

Poppy Private Frederick Brooks (21), who lived at 65 New High Street with his mother and his probable father Mark Currill, died of wounds in France on 28 August 1918 and buried at the Ligny–St Flochel British Cemetery.

September 1918

Poppy Private Harold Allen (21), who lived with his parents at Hazeldene, 123 Lime Walk, died in Yorkshire on 2 September 1918 and buried in Headington Cemetery.

Poppy Serjeant Henry Perrin (31), a plumber, who lived with his wife and children in Headington Quarry, died of wounds in France on 10 September 1918 and buried in the Peronne Communal Cemetery extension

Poppy Private Frederick Hazell (22). a GWR lampman who lodged at 121 London Road,, died of wounds in France on 17 September 1918 and buried in La Kreule Military Cemetery

October 1918

Poppy Private Cyril Gurl (21), son of a quarry labourer who lived in Quarry High Street, killed in action at Flanders on 1 October 1918 and remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial

Poppy Second Lieutenant Alan Young (25) who lived at Church House, 14 St Andrew's Road with his mother, killed in action in France on 14 October 1918 and buried in the Ramillies British Cemetery

Poppy Private Edward Coppock (19), son of a labourer with the Cowley Steam Plough who lived with his parents at 278 London Road, joined up at 16, came back, but killed in action in Belgium on 15 October 1918

Poppy Private Herbert Smith (19), son of a sewers navvy who lived in Bateman Street, died of wounds in France on 15 October 1918 and buried at the Bucquoy Road Cemetery.

Poppy Private Richard Coppock (22), grocer's assistant who lodged with his aunt in Quarry High Street, killed in action in France on 20 October 1918 and buried at the Belle Vue British Cemetery

Poppy Lance Corporal James Blake (34), a bookbinder who lived in Old High Street with his wife and four children, died at home incapacitated on 21 October 1918 and buried at Botley Cemetery

November 1918

Poppy Gunner Arthur Wright (36), a bricklayer's labourer from a gipsy family who lived in The Pits at Quarry with his parents but was allowed out of Oxford Prison to enlist, died in France on 1 November 1918 and buried in the Terlinchthun British Cemetery in Wimille

Poppy Driver William Smith (29), a married builder's labourer and the grandson of the gipsy Wisdom Smith, died of wounds in France on 3 November 1918 and buried in the Busigny Communal Cemetery

Poppy Private Harold Taylor (26), a married picture framer of Stapleton Road who had one chid, died of influenza at the Fovant Camp Hospital in Wiltshire on 3 November 1918 and buried in Headington Cemetery

Poppy Member Marguerite Woodcock (18) of the Women's Royal Air Force based at Lilbourne Training Station in Northamptonshire, died of pneumonia on 6 November 1918 and buried in Headington Cemetery

Poppy Private Frederick Morris (20), who lived with his parents at 9 New High Street, died of wounds in France on 10 November 1918 and buried in the Busigny Communal Cemetery

Poppy Private Charles Reeves (29), a motor driver who lived with his wife and daughter in Lime Walk, died of pneumonia in Rouen on 15 November 1918 and buried in the St Sever Cemetery there

Poppy Shoeing Smith William Richard Webb (40), a blacksmith who lived with his grandparents at Winterbourne's Piece in Quarry, died in Oxford on 26 November 1918 and buried in Holy Trinity churchyard

December 1918

Poppy Gunner Hubert Langham (31), a coal miner hewer in Glamorgan whose father lived at 121 London Road (now Headington Food 'n' Wine), died of wounds at the Cheltenham VAD Hospital on 1 December 1918 and buried at Osney Cemetery

Poppy Private Frank Taylor (19), who lived with his parents at the present 4 Lime Walk, died of wounds in France on 6 December 1918 and buried at the Lille Southern Cemetery

Poppy Sapper William Jacobs (24), a labourer who lived with his parents at the present 62 Lime Walk, died of wounds in the military hospital at Stockport on 30 December 1918 and buried in Headington Cemetery

Biographies of all 120 Headington people who died

Bioescalator

The Bioescalator building on the Old Road Campus opened in the summer of 2018:

Novo Nordisk announced that it would invest £115m over ten years in a new science research centre to be based in the new building:

Planning permission for the building was granted by the East Area Planning Committee on 3 June 2015. This was for

  • 15/00996/RES: “Erection of Bioescalator/Amenities Building, together with landscaping and ancillary works. (Part reserved matters of outline planning permission 12/02072/OUT relating to Plot B4, seeking approval of appearance, landscaping, scale and layout.)”.

Offices becoming flats

New applications for flats approved in 2017
Kingsway House

An application by London & Cambridge Properties relating to the offices above Kingsway House, 77a–81C London Road for “Change of use of from office at first floor level (Use Class B1(a)) to residential (Use Class C3) to provide 2 x 2-bed flats” was approved in March 2017. These offices are above Coco Noir, The Garden, and the Cancer Research UK charity shop and were occupied by Ferguson Bricknell Solicitors, who have moved to 122B London Road

A second application for “external alterations to include new render finish to existing facade and window frames and privacy screens to terraces in conjunction with 17/00122/B56 was submitted in May 2018:

Dance Inspires studio

A planning application was approved separately to turn Headington's former pole-dance school above 112 London Road into a one bedroomed flat. (The rest of the premises above Savers was granted permission to be turned into two flats in 2016.)

“Botnar 3” plans

Work started on the Botnar 3 site in 2018. Plans submitted by Nuffield Orthopaedic Limited for a new development at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre were approved by the East Area Planning Committee in January 2017. They are for “Demolition of temporary office building. Erection of freestanding two-storey research building (Botnar 3) with glazed footbridge link to existing Botnar Research Centre building. Provision of 4 disabled car parking spaces and covered cycle store for 200 bicycles”.

This building will be connected to the present Botnar Research Centre on the other side of the access road by a bridge).

Three plans relating to this application have been approved:

  • Erection of new electrical substation: 16/02686/FUL
  • Formation of replacement car park for eight vehicles for a temporary period: 16/02688/FUL
New research building at JR Hospital

Building work started in April 2018 on a new neuroscience research facility at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

The new building is intended to provide purpose-built facilities for the Centre for the Prevention of Stroke and Dementia (CPSD), as well as providing additional research and desk space for the Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB). Both of these organisations are component units of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (part of the University’s Medical Sciences Division). When the development is complete, it will create the UK’s largest dedicated centre for stroke research.

Members of the University and the design team held two consultation events at Osler House on 28 and 29 April 2017 and construction began in 2018.

New 885-room student village for Brookes

Planning permission was granted by the East Area Planning Committee in December 2017 for the following application by Unite Students for the BT site (formerly part of Cowley Barracks) at James Wolfe Road off Hollow Way:
“Demolition of existing buildings. Erection of new student accommodation comprising of 885 student rooms (of which 46 would be fully accessible), communal areas and amenity provision, associated cafe and shop, laundrettes, plant room and electricity substation, new vehicular and pedestrian access to James Wolfe Road and closure of existing, cycle parking, landscaping and new enclosures. Use of student accommodation outside term time by cultural and academic visitors and by conference and summer school delegates”.

Unite Students have announced a 25-year partnership with Brookes University for the use of this block. This will be the third Brookes student block run by them (the others being Beech House and Dorset House on the London Road). The new village could be ready to admit Brookes students as early as 2019:

Possible power plant at Warneford Hospital

The possibility of building a power plant at the Warneford Hospital to provide heat for Oxford Brookes University, Headington School, and Cheney School (and ultimately for other parts of Oxford) was mapped out by energy experts.

The city council tendered for a detailed project development stud in 2017. The proposed plant would be within the footprint of the Warneford Hospital, and not (as suggested by the Oxford Mail) in Warneford Meadow.