The City Council’s Planning Department is drafting a ‘sites document’ which will supersede part of the Local Plan. In this, they’ll look at a range of sites suggested for development and some of them are in Headington. They are going to have ‘pre-consultation’ before they draw up their draft and this is going to be a good opportunity for residents’ input. Sites in our area include Ruskin’s fields (as Ruskin suggested them) and the Old High Street car park (the suggestion being building over the car park — this was proposed by the Council’s Estates Department).

Planning is not pushing these developments — the sites document will be about those which might happen before 2026 and some of those mentioned in the city may be knocked on the head even before the draft is produced. In the case of Ruskin’s fields, the Conservation Area Appraisal will take precedence.

There will be a ‘workshop’ in the Headington Baptist Church on the evening of 30th November from 4.30-7.00 pm. It is open to all, and Ruth will be there too