Ward Focus meeting with Council chief a hit with residents

Tuesday’s Ward Focus meeting at the NOC attracted a crowd of engaged and interested residents.

Mark Trumper, Director of Estates at the OUHT, outlined latest developments at the hospital sites, and gave us some very useful information about the proposed cancer research centre in terms of what work will go on there, how many visitors/patients it will attract, approximate timescales, and how it will be funded.

He answered questions about the overall master planning of the trust, he confirmed there is currently no plan to sell off the green space from the Manor House to Cuckoo Lane, promised to investigate the railings at the cemetery end of the JR site, and outlined the three markets for any potential housing that may be built on the Churchill site.

Peter Sloman, Chief Executive of Oxford City Council for 5 years, said that Oxford has problems arising from its own success. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, one of the cities with the youngest population, and one of the most diverse cities in the country

Major issues are:

– educational attainment in some parts of Oxford are among the worst in England
– transport constraints on growth
– housing to help employers recruit and enable our people to find homes

He answered questions on the  notification to residents of planning applications in their area, the difficulties in enforcing car-free development, support for Commonwheels projects by freeing up delays in negotiations with City officers, the value of neighbourhood planning (“a battle worth fighting”), planning enforcement with especial reference to a property in Old Headington, the management of green space and its insufficiency in Headington, building on allotment sites, the County Council’s Health and Safety decisions to prevent residents walking or cycling to Redbridge with material for recycling only to be told the site may be entered by vehicle only, and Oxford turning into Bin City.

We have notes of the meeting, so if you are a resident in our ward and would like a copy, please hit the Contact Us! button or drop us a line.

Better still, come to our next Ward Focus Meeting on Tuesday 15 January to make sure you’re up to date with the latest Headington news!

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