Here is a copy of the latest press release from the OUH NHS Foundation Trust. There will be further delay while a full planning application covering all aspects of the project is prepared, and then the City Council will need to decide whether it needs an environmental impact assessment. It now seems unlikely to us that this application can be decided until June or later.

UPDATE ON THE HOSPITAL ENERGY PROJECT

Following a meeting between Vital Energi and Planning officials at Oxford City Council today (17/03), Vital Energi has been asked to seek further professional planning advice to submit one planning application which covers the Energy Link pipeline as well as related work on both hospitals sites (such as the modifications to the Energy Centres and work on Churchill Drive).

They also discussed changing part of the route of the pipeline to take the Energy Link pipeline east at All Saints Road to proceed south along Lime Walk to the Churchill Hospital as shown in the maps below. Accordingly, the application will include two different proposed routes for consideration.

Vital Energi’s considerations when proposing this alternative section of route are:

1. Lime Walk is wider than Stapleton Road so it will not need to be closed. Instead, temporary traffic lights will be used to enable traffic to flow in both directions. This will reduce the traffic displaced by road closures and addresses residents’ concerns that, under the original route proposed, Lime Walk may have become a ‘rat run’ for displaced traffic.
2. It reduces amount of time Vital Energi will be working on Old Road.
3. By keeping Lime Walk and Stapleton Road open and reducing the time spent on Old Road, this option addresses some concerns about potential traffic disruption.

Vital Energi will seek further planning advice and aims to submit the single master Planning Application for the Hospital Energy Project for consideration at the Eastern Area Planning Committee in June.

Mark Neal, Head of Estates of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Hospital Energy Project is essential for our Trust as it safeguards our energy and heating at the JR and Churchill hospitals for the next 25 years. In addition to guaranteed savings on our heating and energy bills, once this new energy and heating system is up and running, we will have reliable modern heating and cooling systems in both hospitals for the first time in many years.

“Equally importantly, we will cut our carbon emissions by 35%, making the single biggest contribution to cleaner air in Headington to date. We know that the work on laying the Energy Link is going to cause disruption for people along the route (whichever route is chosen) and we are extremely grateful for the support, co-operation and understanding of the greater benefits for patients that we have had from many residents so far. Both the Trust and Vital Energi are committed to engaging with the public on the Hospital Energy Project, which solely aims to improve patient environments in a sustainable and financially viable way, and we look forward to our discussions with them.”

Option 1 of the Energy Link Route:

Option 2 of the Energy Link Route:

We are delighted that Jo Lennon, the Trust’s Community Liaison Officer, has agreed to attend our next Ward Focus Meeting on Tuesday 29th March at 6:00 pm at the NOC Lecture Theatre to answer any questions residents may have.