All Saints Road – a building site?

New High Street residents have reported to us the problems they are having with parking at the moment while the builders’ vans are so much in evidence. Parking is never plentiful in the area and with two construction sites operating at the same time, we understand how significant this problem must be for everyone.

We asked the parking enforcement officers to carry out a series of visits to try and reduce the frequency with which the vans are parked up in visitor spaces. Here is our latest report from NSL:

The commercial vehicles in All Saints Road are parking in the 2 hour timed bay that we are logging, but they move when we return, any vehicle that is on the Double Yellow Lines just move before we can issue a Penalty Charge Notice.

Since the complaint we have made 32 visits, logged 18 vehicles, and have not issued any Penalty Charge Notices.

We will continue to make visits to this location to ensure vehicles are parked legally.

We shall continue to press for continuing patrols.

We were alerted by residents’ associations to the poor quality of trench filling (re-instatement) by the construction workers and utilities companies. We called in the County officer who liaises with them and he reports:

Regards the utilities works, I visited on the 6th. I did note that there were two sets of works on opposite sides of the road. Was concerned as this was affecting traffic as this left no room for vehicles to wait at the four way junction. Parties were Scottish and Southern Electric and Southern Gas. I phoned Southern Gas and was told their works should have been cleared that day and would chase up for clearance on Saturday. The electric works were on-going. I found it unacceptable that two utilities were there at the same time as road space is limited.

We have called in Building Control to make a site visit to ensure the quality of work is acceptable and heard today that all utility sites are now cleared and defective trenches made good.

Licensing application by Sainsbury’s

Our latest information is that Sainsbury’s is intending to operate a convenience store from 07.00-23.00 with a start date early in 2014. Here is their licensing application. We understand that cans of alcoholic beverages will not be sold singly

 

13/01758/PREM

Application for a New Premises Licence: The application is for sale of alcohol (off sales only) Monday to Sunday 07.00 hrs to 23.00 hrs

Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, 98 London Road, Headington

 

The close date for comments is 7 August

if you wish to send in comments, please address them to The Licensing Authority, Oxford City Council St Aldates Chambers, 109 St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DS,

or by email to: licensing@oxford.gov.uk

Latest licensing decision

William Osler House, Osler Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9BL has been granted a new premises licence for:

Plays and Films: 11.00 hours to 23.30 hours (Sunday to Saturday)

Indoor sporting events: 08.00 hours to 23.30 hours (Sunday to Thursday); 08.00 hours to 00.30 hours (Friday and Saturday)

Live music:11.00 hours to midnight (Sunday to Thursday); 11.00 hours to 01.00 hours (Friday and Saturdays)

Recorded music / Performances of dance:11.00 hours to midnight (Sunday to Thursday): 11.00 hours to 01.30 hours (Friday and Saturday)

Late night refreshment: 23.00 hours to 05.00 hours (Friday and Saturday)

Sale of Alcohol: 11.00 hours to 23.30 hours (Sunday to Thursday); 11.00 hours to 00.30 hours (Friday and Saturday).

The licensing application number is 12/02143/PREM

Dorset House contact details

All who came to yesterday’s Ward Focus Meeting were treated to a presentation by Emily Wright, the accommodation manager at Dorset House. She told us all about how the students were settling in and how Dorset House is managed.

No student tenant is allowed to bring a car unless they are disabled. If a tenant brings a car to the site, they are in breach of contract and the matter will be dealt with accordingly.  All 313 students have moved in now, there are 254 in en suite accommodation and 54 in studio rooms. 31% are Year 1 students, the rest are in Years 3,4 or are postgraduate students. A travel survey will be completed shortly.

There have been very few complaints as yet, but we did agree to post the contact numbers up on our website in case any resident needs to make a call.

Most complaints should be directed to Emily (9.00-17.00 weekdays) on 07880 202266

Service 24 will deal with emergency out of hours complaints on 01162 548730. They will pass on relevant information to the duty wardens who will take immediate action.

Missing boy – Barton. Can you help?

 

Thames Valley Police is appealing for the public’s help to trace a teenager missing from Barton.
Abu Bakkar, aged 15, from Underhill Circus, Barton, was last seen at this home address at 11.15am on Sunday 12 August. He was reported missing to the police at 9pm on Wednesday 15 August.
Police are keen to find Abu to make sure he is okay.
Abu is Asian, 5ft 3ins, slim, with brown eyes, short brown hair, and suffers with acne on his face. When he was last seen he was wearing a short sleeved blue and white shirt, jeans, and carrying a black rucksack.
Anyone with any information about Abu’s whereabouts is asked to contact the duty sergeant for Oxford via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 101.
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go

Water update – good news

I have just spoken directly to TW maintenance staff

Water has been restored to the Churchill Hospital and surrounding areas. All homes should have water within the hour.

You may experience fluctuating water pressure while the pipes are being mended but it is unlikely that water will be shut off completely at any time

The junction is now clear at Old Rd/Windmill Rd

It’s possible that there has been ground shift after the recent heavy rains and that additional pressure has led to a burst, but it’s too soon to know

Licensing application for the Farmers’ Market

An application for  a New premises licence has been made for the retail sale of alcohol (off premises only) on Fridays 08.00-13.30 hours by the Farmers’ Market, Kennett Road. The application number is 12/02570/PREM and all comments/objections should be made to the Licensing Authority, Oxford City Council, St Aldates Chambers, 109 St Aldates OX1 1ds or to licensing@oxford.gov.uk by 27th July.

Wall at 29 Old High Street sparks more controversy

The house and wall on 13 April

Residents in Old Headington have been contacting us about the changes thaty have been made to the front wall of 29 Old High Street

David has contacted council officers for an urgent briefing on what action the City Council will take in response

Some residents feel the materials used in repairs to the wall are out of keeping in the Old Headington Conservation Area.

UPDATE: an enforcement officer is on site 11.00

Update on 29 Old High Street

Those of you who already attended our Ward Focus Meeting have already raised this issue with us, but here is the update again

We know that like us you have been very concerned about the state of 29, Old High Street. At nearly all meetings in Old and New Headington that we have been attended in recent years, we have been asked about what’s happening. We have given updates at those meetings and now we want to let you know the latest developments.

We have been as frustrated as anyone at the slow pace this issue has taken but we should also pay credit to City Council officers who have worked hard to use the legal routes possible to get some action — but those legal routes are notoriously slow. The basic situation is that the house is privately owned. It is up to an owner how they deal with the property, of course, but in this case its decline is having a sad impact on the public realm and on the Conservation Area. So, the Council has repeatedly been in contact with the owner, urging fairly modest improvements to be done. As they were not done, there had to be recourse to law and an injunction requiring the works to be carried out was given by the courts. The owner appealed and lost that appeal. The owner then had a six month period in which to carry out the works but they have not taken place. To take this further, the City Council now has an option to take the owner to court for non-compliance.

A planning application for an extension to the existing building is expected but has not yet been validated by the Planning Department.  It is too early to say what the officers’ recommendations will be on any valid new application. In the meantime, the owner still has the duty to carry out improvements outstanding.

As you can tell, this is a long, involved and sensitive issue. We have at all times worked with the Council to ensure that what was an attractive house can be brought back into use. The Council has, rightly, been concerned to follow the law to the letter. It is taking a long, long time but we can anticipate some progress in the near future. And it won’t be a moment too early!