Costa application refused
Costa Coffee has been refused planning permission for mixed A1/A3 use at the former Cartridge World Shop at 106 London Road, but has been granted permission for other changes to the shop:
- Refused: Change of use from A1 retail to mixed A1 and A3 café: 11/03052/FUL
- Approved: Two sets of internally illuminated fascia lettering: 11/03205/ADV
- Approved: New shop front: 11/03106/FUL
This includes new doors facing Kennett Road
Work has already started on increasing the floor size from 77sq.m to 126sq.m. by extending over the yard at the back, following the approval of application 11/02506/FUL submitted by the landlord.
Local Plan
The application for A1/A3 status was refused because it was contrary to Policy RC4 of the Oxford Local Plan:
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Fire at Posh Fish
Posh Fish in Headington suffered a fire at 12.50pm on Friday 20 January 2012. Three fire engines were called and the London Road was reduced to one lane. The smoke spread as far as the Co-op, and three people were taken to hospital from the fish & chip shop suffering from smoke inhalation.
This is the third fire in ten years that has started in a deep-fat fryer in this shop (formerly the Mediterranean Fish Bar).
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HMO legislation now in force
New legislation requiring houses in multiple occupation with just three or four occupants to be licensed came into force on 30 January 2012.
This is in addition to the requirement for such a house to have C4 planning permission.
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Dairy Lodge
Portico property have submitted planning application 12/00155/FUL to convert the workshop and garage of Dairy Lodge on Headington Hill to form 1x1 bedroom dwelling and 1x2 bed dwelling.
This is in addition to the plans, already approved, to convert the adjacent old dairy barn into two one-bedroomed properties and the toilet block into a studio appointment. |
Warneford Meadow
The Department of Health intends to sell the Warneford Meadow, which is now a Town Green and protected from development. The county council does not wish to buy it, but the city council is still considering.
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Lime Walk/All Saints Road
The old buildings in the back garden of 73 Lime Walk that face All Saints Road and the large warehouse behind accessed from Lime Walk were demolished in January 2012. These buildings were the former Burton’s dairy shop (which once housed Highfield Post Office) and loading shed.
They are being replaced by two x 3-bedroom houses fronting Lime Walk, plus enlarged garden area for existing properties at 73 and at 75 to 81 (odd), and a two-storey office building fronting All Saints Road.
This relates to planning application 11/00648/FUL by C. G. Burton and E. L. Woodhead for 73–81 Lime Walk.
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Changes to road layouts
in Highfield and Old Road
These works began on 26 September 2011 and were programmed to take ten weeks, but some of the works are being completed in January 2012.
The proposals for new road layouts in the Old Road and Highfield area were approved by the county council on 31 March and work started in September 2011. More details given by Roy Darke at end of this message on forum.
The main changes (aimed at reducing traffic speeds in the Highfield area and improving pedestrian and cycle facilities in Old Road) are as follows:
• A cycle lane is being added to the south side of Old Road between the junction of Gipsy Lane and Windmill Road.
• Pavement cycle lanes are being added on part of Old Road, near the junction with Windmill Road, where three pedestrian crossings over the roundabout will be installed.
• A zebra crossing is being installed by Old Road’s junction with Stapleton Road, and the centre-line road markings will be removed from Old Road in a bid to slow down cars.
• The road is being raised at nine junctions including that of Lime Walk and Old Road. The raised junction at the crossroads of All Saints Road and Lime Walk will be enhanced.
Earlier ideas from the county council (preventing a number of right turns in Highfield) were not well received and were abandoned:
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Social housing on Manor Ground site
Feltham Construction started work on building 27 flats on the Manor Ground site in week beginning 16 January 2012.
The hospital planning application for the Manor Ground site that was approved back in 2001 included social housing, but the developer only built the “unsocial” flats. Planning application 10/00952/FUL was finally submitted in April 2010 by Greensquare Group Ltd for the social housing (27 flats with 20 car parking spaces in two three-storey buildings).
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Coppock Close
Outline planning permission (11/03287/OUT) is sought to demolish the block of eleven garages to the rear of 1–9 Coppock Close and erect three single-storey one-bedroomed bungalows. |
Barton West approved
Plans for 1,200 new homes at “Barton West”, on fields lying north of the bypass between Barton and Northway, have been approved by the full city council. The plans have now gone out for a six-week public consultation (ending Sunday 12 February 2012) before going to the Secretary of State:
It is hoped that work on the site will start in January 2013.
Ruskin College’s proposal to develop its fields south of the bypass has not been included in the Barton Area Action Plan.
Barton North possibility
In addition South Oxfordshire District Council has earmarked the Bayswater Farm site for development to the north-east of Barton. This 2.2 hectare site could fit in up to 75 homes.
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Sites and Housing Development Plan
Although this no longer includes Headington Car Park, there are still another 21 sites on the list. The plan was agreed at a meeting of the full city council on 19 December 2011.
Developers are not letting the grass grow under their feet: Thomas Homes is already making proposals for the Barton Road Cricket Ground (which it seems to think is in Barton Lane):
Headington Car Park saved
Following campaigning by many people, the plan to build on Headington Car Park was dropped from the City Council’s Sites & Development Plan.
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Derelict house in Old High Street
Martin Young remains determined to bulldoze 29 Old High Street, despite the refusal of his resubmitted application for conservation area consent to demolish the building (11/02326/CAC) and for outline planning permission to replace it with five three-storey terraced houses (11/02325/OUT).
A city council enforcement order (Section 215 notice) relating to the tidying up of 29 Old High Street was upheld at the Magistrates Court in March 2011 but Martin Young appealed against it. The appeal was heard at Oxford Crown Court on 9 September 2011 and the Judge upheld the ruling that the notice should be served. She also ordered the owner to pay £2,000 costs in addition to the £1,600 awarded to the Council in the earlier case. The owner has six months from that date to tidy up the property in the way the Notice sets out.
The conservation charity Save Britain’s Heritage has added 29 Old High Street to its “at risk” register.
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New development at Northway
Oxford City Council is providing land in Northway for developers, and in return the developers Hab Oakus will rebuild Northway community centre and provide 41 affordable homes in Dora Carr Close and 28 flats in Westlands Rive. A planning application is expected early in 2012, after the city council has confirmed ownership of land near the community centre.
The Emmaus Charity furniture store will move to Cowley.
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109 Lime Walk
Planning application 11/02491/FUL for “Demolition of all existing buildings and erection of 3x2 bedroom terraced dwellings with basements. Provision of cycle parking, bin storage and private amenity space” has been deemed invalid.
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Thornhill Park & Ride
Three other park & rides started charging for parking on Monday 3 October 2011, but Thornhill remains free because it is run by the county rather than by the city. More cars appear to be using it, and it is often full by 7am.
In March 2011 Oxfordshire County Council approved plans for an extension of the Thornhill Park & Ride to provide a net increase of 506 parking spaces.
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Stephen Road development
Nos. 10 and 12 Stephen Road and adjacent garages have been demolished, and building has commenced.
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.” |
Transport grant for Headington
The county council is spending most of Oxford’s £5m transport grant from the Government on the Headington area. It will:
- Expand the Thornhill Park and Ride by the addition of 500 spaces (due to start early in 2012) (£1.8m)
- Create a new outward-bound bus lane on London Road in Headington towards the ‘hamburger’ roundabout (Note that the county council has amended the above press release, which originally said there would be a new cycle lane leading to the Green Road roundabout, but this is wrong and it has been corrected to “bus lane”) (£500,000)
- 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)
- 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.
County council press release with full details
The “Boris bike” idea is the most controversial part of the plans:
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Bury Knowle Park
Health Walks have started in Bury Knowle Park. Meet at the Library on Fridays at 10am. Wheelchair accessible.
Become a Friend of the Park
Details of how to become a Friend of Bury Knowle Park are on their website, which includes a description of the park’s facilities and a brief history.
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Botnar Phase 2 approved
Planning application 10/01709/FUL by the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre for “Erection of two-storey research building (Botnar Phase 2). Provision of 4 disabled parking spaces, 22 cycle hoops and new barrier- controlled access road” was approved on 24 May 2011. |
City Council property for sale
Oxford City Council is selling off some of its land and buildings in Headington. So far it has sold:
(1) the dairy barn and public convenience on Headington Hill (offers in excess of £200,000); and
(2) the depot on the corner of All Saints Road and New High Street (offers in excess of £150,000).
In January 2011 the city council submitted planning applications relating to the three Headington properties it proposed to sell, namely:
Headington Hill Park: dairy and toilets
Plans to convert Headington Hill Park’s toilet block into a studio apartment and the adjacent old dairy barn into two one-bedroomed properties (11/00283/CT3) was approved at Area Committee meeting of 17 March 2011.
Land on corner of All Saints Road and New High Street
Outline planning permission for the demolition of the existing building and erection of two two-bedroomed flats was approved (11/00774/CT3). (The original plan for three flats was withdrawn.)
Bury Knowle Park: stables & barn
Conversion of vacant on-site buildings to three two-bedroomed properties:
- Current application (temporarily withdrawn pending decision by English Heritage): 11/00285/CT3
- Pictures: Bury Knowle outbuildings
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Flats for Cavalier pub site
The second planning application by property developers I & O Ltd for “58 ensuite student rooms with shared facilities and warden’s room on three floors” has has been approved (11/01681/FUL). This does not include the shop that was part of the earlier approved application (10/03215/FUL).
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Current building work at Brookes
On 18 March 2010 the full city council approved Oxford Brookes University’s revised plans for the redevelopment of its site. (The plans had been called in following approval by the City Council’s Strategic Development Control Committee on 24 February.)
Brookes is to submit a fresh planning application to place a maintenance unit on top of the £132m library and teaching building that is currently under construction.
The brief description of the plans is “Erection of new library and teaching building (NLTB) consisting of lecture theatre, library, teaching accommodation and social facilities, plus linked extension to the Abercrombie building and arcaded building to new entrance piazza to Headington Road” (09/02764/FUL).
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Dorset House development
Berkeley Homes started work in 2011 on a major development” of student housing on the Dorset House site, namely:
“Demolition of 1a Latimer Road and 44 London Road. Alterations to 60 London Road and erection of 3 buildings of 2,3 and 4 storeys to provide 316 student bed spaces, ancillary accommodation, plant and secure and integrated cycle storage for 160 cycles. External works including associated communal space 4 car parking spaces for disabled residents, 1 staff car parking space and 12 visitor cycle spaces”:
(approved applications 10/03136/FUL and 10/03136/CND)
Berkeley Homes bought the Dorset House site from the developers Quintain in September 2010, and they plan to build and manage accommodation there for 316 Brookes students.
An earlier application in 2006 by Quintain to erect five blocks of accommodation for 363 students was withdrawn following the planners’ recommendation for refusal. In June 2009 Quintain cleared most of the site by demolishing the main nineteenth-century house. They say in their pre-close statement that they sold the site for £5m, which “demonstrates a premium to valuation of £1.3m”. |
Phone mast applications
Headington has numerous mobile phone masts, and the link below shows all recent applications.
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Public art in Headington
Public Art Map
Oxford City Council listed the following in Headington on their Public Art Map, published in 2011:
Horspath Driftway Sculpture
A £6,700 bronze disc-shaped sculpture has been approved for land at the corner of Horspath Driftway and Blackstock Close.
Public Art in Pullen’s Lane
EF’s application 11/00034/VAR to to vary the requirement (under the granting of planning permission 07/02499/FUL) that they must provide public art was refused on 7 March 2011. |
Islamic Studies Centre
The new Islamic Studies Centre on the Marston Road is finally due to open in 2012. More than £50 million has already been spent on the building, and another £25 million has now been found.
Two new planning applications have been approved:
- Provision of five CCTV pole-mounted cameras (11/00818/FUL)
- Display of 3 x freestanding flagpoles and 1 x flagpoles on wall bracket (11/00795/ADV)
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“Charity” clothes collections
Despite having six genuine charity shops, central Headington has since 2006 been targeted by commercial firms asking people to give all the spare clothes they have for them to sell to the poor.
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Clover’s to be charity shop?
It appears that Headington is getting another charity shop, as "Sue Ryder" has submitted planning application 12/00126/ADV for the Clovers shop, which closed on Saturday 3 September 2011 after thirty years in Windmill Road.
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Headington repatriation tributes
The next repatriation tribute at Headley Way will be on:
- Tuesday 7 February 2012 at about 5pm
Members of the Royal British Legion always hold tributes outside St Anthony of Padua Church as the funeral cortège passes along Headley Way, and members of the general public are welcome to join them.
Since March 2008 war dead from Afghanistan have passed through Marsh Lane and Headington on their way to the John Radcliffe Hospital (which houses the special armed forces department of pathology).
There is a campaign for a memorial to be put on the roundabout at the Final Turn to the John Radcliffe Hospital.
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City Council elections 2012
Canvassing in Headington started early (Sunday 22 January) for the city council election to be held on Thursday 2 May 2012.
Each city ward has two city councillors, and there will be one seat up for election in each ward (The other councillor in each ward will be due for re-election in 2014.) The six candidates whose seats are up for election in the Headington and Marston district are:
Barton & Sandhills: Mike Rowley
Churchill: Mark Lygo
Headington: Ruth Wilkinson
Headington Hill & Northway: Roy Darke
Marston: Beverley Hazell
Quarry & Risinghurst: Laurence Baxter
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Peacocks
Peacocks Stores Ltd are in administration, but the business may be sold as a going concern.
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Sikh temple for Headington?
Planning application 11/03101/FUL has been withdrawn. This was for change of Class A1 retail use to Class D1 place of worship at 295–301 London Road (Sharp & Howse near the corner with Northfield Road).
Meanwhile the former hairdresser's shop next door at 291–293 London Road (on the corner of Northfield Road) is now a convenience store, the Oxford Food Center [sic]. |
Storybook Tree
The base of the Storybook Tree in Bury Knowle Park is rotting, and the sculpture may have to be put on a new base.
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Hairdressing offer
Creations Styling on the Northway Estate has recently been taken over and are offering 50% discount to all new clients: tel. 01865 742444.
They need support if they are to stay open: they are only a small salon and many people on the Northway estate who cannot drive rely on them. |
Café Bonjour
Planning application 11/02944/FUL by Café Bonjour of 136 London Road for “retention of premises for use as Class A1/A3 (shop/cafe)” has been approved. |
Changes at top of Windmill Road
Two separate planning applications have now been approved for the yard behind Simon House at the NW corner of Windmill Road
Dance school at Kirby house
The owners of this warehouse have been granted permission (11/02798/FUL) to turn it into a dance school. They have also submitted planning application 11/02799/ADV for three non-illuminated fascia signs.
Flats & office at Dring’s
The application for “Renewal of planning permission 08/01282/FUL for the erection of a 3 storey building providing 2x Class B1 (business) units at ground floor with 2x2 bedroom flats, 1x1 bedroom flat and 1x3 bedroom flats with shared amenity courtyard” by Neil Richens for the old Dring’s bus garage site was approved on 8 August 2011.
These plans were originally approved in August 2008, but planning permission now expires after three years. B1 is office (other than financial services) use, with a permitted change to B8 (storage and distribution) use. (Two earlier sets of plans for the site which included more flats were rejected.)
Richens Mobility occupied the site until 22 July 2006, when their workshop suffered a severe fire. They moved to the Roundway, but now appear to be closed.
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Brookes challenge abandoned
Martin Young decided on 13 January 2012 to abandon his case in the Court of Appeal against a new development by Oxford Brookes University, taking up Oxford City Council's offer to waive any claim for current costs if he abandoned the case today.
He went to the Court of Appeal after failing in his application in October 2010 for a judicial review of Oxford City Council’s decision to allow construction of a new library and teaching building. He said that the council did not give proper consideration to noise issues, and he believes that the addition of a bar, restaurant and shops in a public square by Headington Road, near where he lives, contravenes the Local Plan.
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Passive house for Kennett Road
Demolition of 53 Kennett Road started in week beginning 19 September 2011 and Oxford’s first passive house is now being constructed.
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Bury Knowle House
The county council is seeking to renew its planning application for an extension for wheelchair access to Bury Knowle House (notice in Oxford Times of 12 January 2012, p.176): R3.0005/12 (also city council applications 12/00064/CC3 and 12/00063/CC3.
Meanwhile the city council’s leisure department is moving out of Bury Knowle House, where it occupied the first floor.
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Vicar of All Saints’ breaks record
James Cocke (85), Vicar of All Saints’, Headington, is now the longest-serving Anglican vicar in the UK.
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Titanic
The hundredth anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic is in April 2012, and already it is in the news. See the story of the Headington man who carried on playing in the band as the liner sank. |
Lazy Gamer for Headington
A Lazy Gamer Comic Book and Video Gaming Centre will be opening soon in the refurbished Annie Sloan shop at 117 London Road. |
Cinnaminta Road betting shop
The Betfred shop in Cinnaminta Road, Headington, was targeted at 8.20am on Saturday 31 December.
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Crown & Thistle closes
The Crown & Thistle on Old Road closed down permanently on 31 December 2011.
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Can’t find a news item?
Older news items are moved to separate pages. Links to news pages from 2001 to 2011 can be found here. |
Key Stage 2 Tables 2011
Percentage of children in Headington schools achieving Level 4 or above in both English and Maths:
St Joseph’s RC Primary: 96%
St Andrew’s Primary: 87%
Windmill Primary: 78%
Sandhills Primary: 74%
Wood Farm Primary: 68%
Bayards Hill Primary: 40%
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Bike repairs
Bob Williams, formerly of Headington’s G. H. Williams, is still doing bike repairs from home in central Headington: tel. 01865 762664 or mobile 07962 896 663. He has fifty years’ experience of repairing bikes and is strongly recommended.
Computer repairs
Bridus Computing are strongly recommended: they arrive on a motorbike (so fewer parking problems) and do the work in the evening. |
Ruskin walled garden
In 2009 Ruskin College renovated its eighteenth-century walled garden at the Rookery in Stoke Place at a cost of £400,000. The walls were repaired, the children’s nursery and old hard tennis court were removed, and the terraces restored.
Local residents have formed the Crinkle Crankle Club (named after the crinkle crankle wall on the north side of the walled garden) and started work on the garden in the autumn of 2011.
There will be Open Days for the garden from next year (to be listed here); but you can see pictures on the club website now:
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Former Londis shop
The former Londis branch at 116–120 London Road is advertising for staff, and Sunder Sandher has submitted a licence application. The shop is expected to reopen in February 2012.
This branch of Londis went into receivership on 18 February 2011 and the premises were repossessed on 26 April 2011. The premises are still owned by Budgen’s, which used to have a 7–11 (later renamed B2) shop there.
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Headington School
Junior School: More plans
Headington Junior School has submitted planning application 11/02528/FUL for “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.”
This is a major development and will be decided at committee level.
Junior School: Current work
Eight trees on the London Road were felled in April 2011, prior to Headington Junior (Preparatory) School replacing its old stone boundary wall with railings (approved planning application 10/01541/FUL).
Work has now started on an “extension to foundation building to provide two additional classrooms, work room and link to main school buildings” (approved planning application 10/03214/FUL).
Headington School
Construction of a new classroom building at Headington School started on 11 July 2011 and will continue for about 14 months. Temporary access has been formed from Woodlands Road into the rear of the school’s property.
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Old Road & Park Hospital development
The city council’s East Area Planning Committee on 3 August 2011 approved the planning application by the University of Oxford for a new £57m development on its Old Road campus. The decision was called in to be reviewed and was again approved on 31 August 2011.
The University is also planning to develop the Park Hospital site.
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Shark House available to rent!
The Shark House at 2 New High Street is available to rent with Andrews Estate Agents.
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Ruskin College moving to Headington in 2012
Ruskin College has sold its site in Walton Street to Exeter College for £7m, and work is taking place on developing its new campus in Old Headington at a cost of £17m. It will complete its move up to Headington in September 2012.
Joe Callaghan, grandson of James Callaghan and currently a student at Ruskin, unveiled the foundation stone of the Callaghan Library on 1 July 2011.
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Caffe Toscano
This shop at 113 London Road (classified as A1 retail) was repossessed on 2 November 2011 and the freehold is now for sale. It was formerly the Chef’s Pantry, followed by La Plaza and then the Copacabana Café.
The current leaseholder was planning to sell the business to Martin’s estate agents, who were interested in taking it over; but the city council planning department told Martin’s 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: 11/02344/PDC |
Brookes licensing application
The licensing application for the Gipsy Lane campus has been resubmitted. The consultation period expired on 18 November 2011, but no decision has been announced.
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Headington pubs
The Black Boy is listed in the 2012 Good Pub Guide and the Masons Arms in the 2012 Good Beer Guide. |
Kebab House closed
The Oxford Kebab House at
122–136 London Road closed in the autumn of 2011. Before it was subdivided it was part of a much larger Domino’s, which is understood to have taken the premises back. |
Headington TV now digital
Oxford’s switch to digital television was completed on 28 September 2011.
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Book about NOC
A new book by Martin J. Harris, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre: A Pictorial History is for sale at the League of Friends shop in the hospital, Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm. |
Jacobs & Field
Jacobs & Field in Old High Street were voted south-east Deli of the year in 2011.
Planning application 11/01013/FUL by Jacobs & Field at 15 Old High Street for “Demolition of rear storage area and construction of A1/A2 unit, with 2 flats (1x2, 1x1 bed) above” was approved on 26 May 2011. |
Headington pub for sale
The Quarry gate pub is for sale at £899,000.
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Vacant shops in Headington centre
About to reopen
- The former Annie Sloan shop at 117 London Road has had major improvements (10/02729/FUL) and is about to reopen as a Lazy Gamer
- Clovers at 2a Windmill Road closed on 3 September 2011 and the Sue Ryder charity shop is likely to move in
- Oxford Kebab House at 122–136 London Road closed on 27 September 2011 and is being taken back into Domino’s Pizza next door
- Londis at 116–120 London Road went into receivership and closed on 18 February 2011; it is expected to reopen in February 2012.
Vacant
- Caffe Toscano at 113 London Road closed in October 2011
- Cartridge World at 196 London Road closed on 9 June 2011 and is being extended, with Costa Coffee showing an interest
- Today’s Local (in the former Nicolas shop at 83 London Road) which opened in October 2010 closed less than two months later
- Laura Loves Flowers moved out of 126 London Road in May 2011, just four months after opening in the former Matthew Clulee shop
Retail shops and the Local Plan
The Local Plan is designed to protect the Headington shopping centre. No café or takeaway (A3/A5) use should be granted until the number of A1 (retail) shops at ground-floor level rises above 65%. Hence planning applications by coffee shops (A3) and offices (A2) are being turned down.
The link below gives further details about recent applications and appeals as well as similar applications in the past:
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Headington city council ward
City councillors David Rundle and Ruth Wilkinson have a website with news relating to the central Headington ward. As their ward includes most of the central shopping area, it will also be of interest to people in other parts of Headington.
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