Up and coming events in December

Don’t forget to check out Rock Choir at the Christmas Markets – well worth a listen, and some members are from Headington!

Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December, Oxford Art and Craft Market, Broad Street, 9am to 5.30pm (Sat) and 10am to 4.30pm (Sun). The Art Market is a partnership event between Boffy Arts Market and Oxford City Council and features approximately 30 – 36 traditional market stalls. All of the work sold is handmade and selected for quality and all stalls are run by the artists or makers of the goods. www.boffyartsandevents.com

  • Saturday 3 December, Balliol Chapel Choir Carol Singing, Broad Street, 12pm to 6pm. Balliol Chapel Choir will be singing Christmas Carols to raise money for ‘The Porch Steppin’ Stone Centre’. www.balliol.ox.ac.uk
  • Tuesday 6 December, Dementia Friends awareness raising session at the Museum of Oxford, Oxford Town Hall (Heritage Learning Centre), 4pm to 5pm. Join Helen Fountain, Reminiscence Officer, to raise awareness of the issues effecting people living with dementia and their carers and signpost to further information. The session is free and all are welcome. To book a space follow the link here or drop in on the day.
  • Thursday 8 to Sunday 18 December, Oxford Christmas Market, Broad Street, 10am to 7pm. Annual Christmas Market with festive decorated stalls offering Christmas gifts and seasonal food and drink. Local choirs and bands will add to the festive atmosphere. www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk
  • Saturday 10 December, South of England Athletics Association – Championships 2016,  Horspath Road Rec and Shotover Country Park, 7am to 5pm. Cross country running races. www.oxfordcityathleticclub.com
  • Sunday 11 December, Santas on the Run, City Centre with start and finish on Broad Street, 8.30am to 10.15am. Annual charity two mile fun run with participants being dressed as Santas. www.hdh.org.uk

Energy pipe works – latest news

Residents have raised a number of queries about the energy pipe works – all complaints have been understood and resolved. It is normal to have teething problems at the beginning of a major project.

Why did works start at 7am Tuesday morning?

A delivery on Monday morning at 8am had caused tailbacks. An unauthorised decision was taken to try and avoid this today by manoeuvring a delivery earlier in the morning so that traffic would not be affected so significantly. This has been reported and it has been made clear to all contractors that works shall not commence before 8am in future.

Why is there some fencing off of pavement, we were told pavement would not be affected?

The location of the pipe is very close to the kerb on All Saints Road. The HERAS fencing has now been moved to be as close to the kerb as possible, allowing for 2m of pavement for pedestrians

Why has the end date before Christmas been moved from 16th to 23rd December?

The Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) made it clear that there should be no work after 16th. However the County Streetworks Team is trying to make sure that the Vital Energi works dovetail with the Winvic works at Beech House. There is one section of Latimer Road where connections need to be made from Beech House to each of the storm and foul water drains. Winvic need to dig a trench under the pavement and Vital Energi will enable that trench to connect to the sewers under the road surface in conjunction with its own energy pipe trench. The Winvic work has to be done before Vital Energi can combine it into their trench work because the connecting pipes run downhill. The County Council wants this joint working to happen so that (a) that part of Latimer Road isn’t dug up twice and (b) to minimise disruption to residents.

So the 23rd December has been mooted as a contingency date in case the Winvic works aren’t done in time to meet Vital’s deadline. The County officers have been to site to ensure all kit for the Winvic work is ready to go asap, so we are hoping that all work by both teams will still make the deadline of the 16th.

This has been reflected in the new signage.

There was noise overnight from the generator in the temporary Sandfield Road car park 

This has been rectified and will not happen in future.

 

Up and coming events in Oxford

Don’t forget to say hello to Ruth who is singing with the Oxford City Chambers Choir in Broad Street at 1pm on Sat 26 November, and with Rock Choir on Sats 10 and 17 December!

  • Friday 25 to Sunday 27 November, Christmas Light Festival 2016, City Centre inc. Broad Street, Gloucester Green and Oxford Castle, 5pm to 10 pm (Fri), 10am to 10pm (Sat) and 10am  to 4pm (Sun). Annual city event with the core outdoor event happening on Friday evening and various different cultural activities, most of which are free, taking place throughout the weekend. www.oxfordschristmas.com
  • Saturday 26 November, Have Your Say Meeting, Manzil Way Gardens, 10am to 2pm. This info stand by OCC’s Community Response Team aims to get resident’s views on issues in the area as well as the issues that matter most to them.www.oxford.gov.uk
  • Saturday 26 November, Documentary Screening: A Plastic Ocean, St Anne’s College, 6.30pm. Screening followed by a Q&A session with the Executive Advisor to the film, David Jones. Tickets available at https://fixr-app.com/event/12130
  • Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December, Oxford Art and Craft Market, Broad Street, 9am to 5.30pm (Sat) and 10am to 4.30pm (Sun). The Art Market is a partnership event between Boffy Arts Market and Oxford City Council and features approximately 30 -36 traditional market stalls. All of the work sold is handmade and selected for quality and all stalls are run by the artists or makers of the goods. www.boffyartsandevents.com
  • Saturday 3 December, Balliol Chapel Choir Carol Singing, Broad Street, 12pm to 6pm. Balliol Chapel Choir will be singing Christmas Carols to raise money for ‘The Porch Steppin’ Stone Centre’. www.balliol.ox.ac.uk
  • Thursday 8 to Sunday 18 December, Oxford Christmas Market, Broad Street, 10am to 7pm. Annual Christmas Market with festive decorated stalls offering Christmas gifts and seasonal food and drink. Local choirs and bands will add to the festive atmosphere. www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk
  • Saturday 10 December, South of England Athletics Association – Championships 2016,  Horspath Road Rec and Shotover Country Park, 7am to 5pm. Cross country running races. www.oxfordcityathleticclub.com
  • Sunday 11 December, Santas on the Run, City Centre with start and finish on Broad Street, 8.30am to 10.15am. Annual charity two mile fun run with participants being dressed as Santas. www.hdh.org.uk

Parking during the energy pipe works

parking-suspension-notices

The County Council has put up parking suspension notices along the whole energy pipe route. This has worried residents who had previously been told they can continue to park as normal, except for when the energy pipe trench is being dug immediately outside their property.

We’ve queried this with the County Council. The reason they do this is that if works progress more quickly than planned, the construction company can move into a new section of road straightaway without further delay.

We’ve explained to the County Council that this is not appropriate for this particular project in interconnecting residential streets. They have agreed to
only display parking suspension notices in directly affected areas, and movethese along as works progress – but only if Vital Energi gave an assurance that 5 days clear notice will be given before a new section of trench is dug. Vital has been keen to make that assurance.

So an instruction has now been given by the County Council for many of these notices to come down again. I’m not sure when that will be but I hope it’s very very soon.

We are also checking with the City Council over recycling collections in areas that will be directly affected next week. We’re trying to ensure that this will
go without a hitch, but the City’s recycling teams have requested that people show extra consideration as bin lorries manoeuvre their way through the area.

Headington Ward councillors are writing/printing street letters to post through the letterboxes of those affected so that everyone knows what’s going on. Please get in touch with us if you have any other concerns about the project.

Breaking. Parking suspensions along the energy pipe route SUPERSEDED – SEE ABOVE

Residents have contacted us because they are concerned about the parking suspension notices that the County Council has put up along the whole of the energy pipe route.

It’s standard practice for the Council to blanket cover the whole area where works will take place. This is ensure that parking is suspended should the works on one section finish earlier than expected and gives the contractor the facility to get work done more quickly.

In this case, the project will continue for four and a half months, so blanket coverage of suspension signs is causing needless concern.

We have discussed this with the Civil Enforcement Manager at the County Council and have secured an undertaking that superfluous parking suspension notices will be removed until needed, provided that Vital Energi undertakes to give 5 clear working days notice before moving works from one section to another. The Vital Energi project manager is happy to give that assurance but we are waiting to get official confirmation before we send out emails and street letters to that effect.

Councillors will discuss parking suspensions in Lime Walk (which will become one way after Christmas) at a meeting with County Networks and Vital Energi tomorrow.

This post will be updated later today

Drop in councillor surgery in Sandfield Road Sunday morning

We have secured a minuted assurance from Vital Energi that a community contribution will be paid to mitigate disruption caused to residents along the energy pipe route.

So far we have received a number of bids for the following and are awaiting final quotes:

  • A drop kerb for pedestrians at the junction of Latimer Road and Latimer Grange
  • Removal of footway paving and replacement with tarmac outside Latimer Grange
  • Latimer Road footway overlay
  • Traffic calming measures in Highfield (from Highfield Residents’ Association)

We are concerned that there are no bids on the table from residents in the area north of London Road and we are holding an informal street surgery to discuss ideas with residents.

STREET SURGERY

Sunday 20 November

11:30-12:30

by the Community Noticeboard at Cuckoo Lane/Sandfield Rd junction.

All three councillors will be available to answer questions relating to dates and times of energy pipe works too – and of course any other issue residents wish to raise. If you can’t come along but want to get in touch, here are our details:

Ruth – ruth.wilkinson@oxfordlibdems.org.uk   Altaf: 07931 345554   Roz: 07584 257156

Up and coming events in Oxford for the rest of November

  • Sunday 20 November, Thames Valley Orienteering Club – Orienteering Event, Shotover Country Park (Brasenose Woods), 8am to 4pm. Competitors will have individual time slots at the start and run by themselves around the course through Brasenose Woods. www.TVOC.org.uk
  • Tuesday 22 November, Oxford Fairtrade Coalition Film Evening, Lady Margaret Hall, 7.30m to 9pm. Two short films focusing on Women’s Empowerment and Fair Trade will be shown. There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion around the issues raised.
  • Friday 25 to Sunday 27 November * , Christmas Light Festival 2016, City Centre inc. Broad Street, Gloucester Green and Oxford Castle, 5pm to 10 pm (Fri), 10am to 10pm (Sat) and 10am  to 4pm (Sun). Annual city event with the core outdoor event happening on Friday evening and various different cultural activities, most of which are free, taking place throughout the weekend. www.oxfordschristmas.com
  • Saturday 26 November, Have Your Say Meeting, Manzil Way Gardens, 10am to 2pm. This info stand by OCC’s Community Response Team aims to get resident’s views on issues in the area as well as the issues that matter most to them.www.oxford.gov.uk
  • Saturday 26 November, Documentary Screening: A Plastic Ocean, St Anne’s College, 6.30pm. Screening followed by a Q&A session with the Executive Advisor to the film, David Jones. Tickets available at https://fixr-app.com/event/12130

falling-snowflakes-free-stock-vector-3

Spot your councillor singing in Broad Street on Saturday 26th!

This week’s planning decisions

Application withdrawn:

16/01489/FUL

Erection of single storey side and rear extension. Alterations to roof involving raising of roof height to create a second floor level and formation of balcony.

121 Lime Walk Oxford

Applications granted consent:

16/02150/B56 (Prior Approval Required and Granted)

Change of use of part first floor from office (Use Class B1(a)) to residential (Use Class C3) to provide 1 x 2- bed flat and 1 x studio flat. This application is for determination as to whether prior approval of the Council is required and, if required, whether it should be granted. This application is assessed solely in respect of transport and highway impacts and contamination and flooding risks.

112 London Road Headington

16/02362/FUL

Erection of a single storey front extension to form bay window and enclosed porch, and conversion of garage to habitable space.

40 New High Street 

16/02352/FUL

Erection of a single storey ground floor and first floor rear extension and two storey side extension. Alterations to existing windows and doors to rear elevation with replacement of flat roof for pitched. Replacement of existing front dormer window.

6 Woodlands Close 

Energy pipe works set to start on 28 November in Highfield

Conditions attached to the planning consent have now been signed off. Letters are being distributed today by the Oxford University Hospitals Trust outlining the schedule of works. A 12 page booklet will be distributed mid-November giving fuller details e.g. the times of day works will be carried out, how to obtain visitors’ parking permits when the works are immediately outside your property, and other useful information. The proposed dates for works are always provisional at the start of a major project because of external circumstances – a protracted period of bad weather for example. If dates are delayed, residents will be notified of the revised timetable for works but we hope this eventuality will not arise.

From Monday 28 November to Friday 16 December, there will be three-way traffic lights at the Lime Walk/All Saints junction, and the 4th arm of the crossroads will be closed off between the midpoint of the entrance to Barrington Close and the above junction. Lime Walk will remain two way during that period, and access to Barrington Close will be from Bickerton Road and Stapleton Road. The planters at the junction will be removed and stored until the works are completed and will then be returned. Some bollards may be removed and stored temporarily during the works.

From Monday 28 November to Friday 16 December, the top of Latimer Road will be closed as far as the midpoint of the entrance to Latimer Grange.  There will be no entry to Latimer Road from London Road. Those wishing to access Latimer Road from London Road will need to take a different route, either via Gipsy Lane/Old Road/Bickerton or Stapleton Roads; or via Lime Walk and a wait at the three way lights, Old Road, and either Bickerton or Stapleton Roads.

Works affecting Sandfield Road will not start until the New Year.

Contact numbers for information

Daytime: Jo Lennon 07342 086843 (9am – 4.30pm)

Email: hospitalenergyproject@ouh.nhs.uk

Website: www.ouh.nhs.uk/about/developments/energy

Twitter: OUH_Estates #OUHEnergy

More details will be made available in the Trust’s booklet which is currently being printed. Ruth, Roz and Altaf have ensured that the County’s Networks, Access to Headington and Parking Teams have been fully involved throughout. Vital Energi, the contractors for the Trust, are working co-operatively with Winvic, the contractors for the Beech House development, over access to the Beech House site from Latimer Road.

If you require further information, please contact Jo (number above) or your local councillors Roz, Ruth and Altaf

How to contact your councillors

By phone:

Roz: 07584 257156

Altaf: 07931 345554

By email:

Ruth: ruth.wilkinson@oxfordlibdems.org.uk (email preferred)

Twitter:

Ruth

@ruthwilk