Headington Library gets makeover!

The layout of the library will be remodelled to include a brand new children’s library and a passenger lift is being installed to help those less able to access the facilities.

The area manager says: “Unfortunately, this does mean that we will have to close the library for a while, but customers may borrow extra items and will be encouraged to use branches across Oxford whilst the work takes place.”

Headington library will be closed from Monday 23rd June until Thursday 3rd July 2014 and will reopen on Friday 4th July.

Presentation on Old Road plans this week

The University of Oxford was granted Outline Planning Permission for its proposed development at the Old Road/Park Hospital campus in July last year. The University is now considering the first phase of this development, specifically:

  • The Big Data Institute, which will develop approaches for generating, storing and analysing large datasets in medical science for a better understanding of human disease and its treatment; and
  • The Amenities Building, which will house a number of facilities serving the Old Road Campus as a whole, including car parking and the Oxford Bio-Escalator (as part of the Government’s City Deal initiative) which will encourage innovative spin outs to become sustainable bioscience and medical businesses.

A consultation will be held on Friday and Saturday on the detailed design proposals for the proposed Big Data Institute building, in particular its external appearance and associated landscaping areas. Information will be presented on the Amenities Building and its proposed uses too, including suggestions made following the previous consultation event, along with more information about the Bioescalator and its impact on research at the site.

The University will also share with residents the feedback they had from their first event and its associated online survey, and outline the changes they have made as a result.

The consultation is happening on Friday 9 May between 4.00pm and 7.00pm and Saturday 10 May between 10.00am and 1.00 pm, at the Old Road Campus Research Building (the Green Building) off Roosevelt Drive, Headington.  We hope that many residents from Highfield and New Headington will attend. We’ll see you there and would value your views!

Betting shops – are there too many in some areas?

LOCAL LIB DEMS WELCOME TOUGHER POWERS TO ADDRESS BETTING SHOP CLUSTERING

Communities will get greater protection from the blight of bookies after tougher powers were announced to act on betting shop clustering and ensure vibrant local high streets.

The Government has listened to repeated calls by Lib Dems and is consulting on plans to place betting shops in their own planning class to stop them taking over empty shops without the need for planning permission. In future, betting shops will have to seek permission to open new premises.

Government is also proposing that betting firms make clear to councils how new premises will meet social responsibility requirements in relation to local circumstances. Anyone wishing to spend more than £50 on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) will need authorisation from betting shop managers.

The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said the proposals will help areas desperate to protect high streets at risk of being over-run by betting shops. It will also help councils protect residents at particular risk of harm from problem gambling and FOBTs.

Communities and councils have consistently called for tougher powers to address problems caused by the proliferation of betting shops and FOBTs so we are pleased Lib Dems nationally  have listened to our concerns and the Government is taking action. This will be a significant step in the right direction. We call on the Government to implement these changes urgently.

Councillors are not anti-bookies, and understand that betting shops can be an important part of local communities that create jobs for local people. However, we know how concerned people are by clusters of betting shops taking over their local high street, and there are also fears that people losing money through Fixed Odds Betting Terminals are turning to payday lenders and loan sharks to pay off debts or fund their gambling.

Betting industry firms like William Hill and BetFred have come out in support of tougher powers for councils and we will use our new Betting Commission to work with the betting shops to consider these new proposals to make sure they are workable. The betting industry needs to respect government’s intentions and the concerns of local residents, and respond appropriately.

In the current system, a betting shop is in the same category as a bank or estate agent and can open without the need for a planning application when a premises becomes vacant. The changes to the use means that local authorities will have the power to scrutinise applications and refuse them where there are grounds to do so. This issue has arisen recently in Headington and these proposals tighten up the regulations in a way that is likely to be popular with local residents.

 

Business rate…relief!

Sometimes questions in Council produce some interesting answers. Last time, one yielded these figure, showing what relief has been made available to small businesses and shops.

Local relief

The total amount of rate relief given by the Council over the current and producing 3 years to include mandatory charitable relief, discretionary charity relief, and small business rate relief is:

  • 2014/15 – £21, 308, 017
  • 2013/14 – £20, 397, 141
  • 2012/13 – £21, 121, 368
  • 2011/12 – £18, 035, 323

National relief

Retail Rate Relief is a new relief. The Coalition Government announced in the Autumn statement that it would provide relief of up to £1,000 to all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of £50, 000 or less in each of the years 2014/15 and 2015/16. This includes small businesses.

 

This relief has been awarded to 946 businesses to date with a total relief awarded of £901, 268. 40. The cost is fully reimbursed by central Government

 

Get on your soap box!

Man on soapbox

Get on that soapbox, you know you want to!

On 1st May, Broad Street hosts ‘Soapbox City’ between 7am and 7pm. This is a chance for the people of Oxford to have their say, to make us think, to share a hope, to cause laughter and maybe even outrage– and ultimately, to make us see the world a bit differently, by getting up on their soapbox for five minutes.
Do you have something you’d like to say? Is there something you feel passionately about that you’d like to share with the city on Mayday? Do you want to start a conversation about an issue that’s important in Oxford? If so, or if you know any friends / colleagues / relatives who might like to get up on our soapbox for five minutes, you can find more  info about the project and how to join in by clicking here. If you think you might like a five minute slot, just email in reply and they’ll find a time that works for you.
Oh and by the way, speakers are required to wear clothes!

Headington Festival Weekend 31 May – 1 June

Headington Festival

Headington Festival

Headington Festival Weekend

31 May – 1 June 2014

10am – 5.00pm Saturday; 1.00pm – 5.00pm Sunday

 

The Headington Festival and Sports Day was such a success last year, that it has been decided to extend the Festival to include Saturday (31st May) as well as the traditional Festival and Sports day on Sunday (1st June). On Saturday morning there will be a Food and Craft Fair located in the Headington shopping area, plus music and street entertainers displaying their skills. A Fun Fair will be open in Bury Knowle Park during the afternoon.

On Sunday, the event moves totally to Bury Knowle Park, where there will be a host of stalls to choose from, the Fun Fair, a wide variety of entertainment, including children’s amusements, food, music, bands and dancing, plus an enormous range of sports demonstrations which you can view or even participate in!

A number of Headington shops are supporting an Odd One Out competition for children. Details and entry forms will be distributed to various shops in the shopping area.

So why not come along and support your local community by either selling / advertising your goods on a stall, volunteering to help on the event days or attending the event itself, buy ‘goodies’ from the stalls and enjoying the sports and entertainment! There is no Admission Charge!!!

The event is organised by the Headington Action Festival Committee in partnership with the Oxford City Council.

For more details, and information on how to book a stall, click here for the Headington Festival website 

 

Parking plans for Headington

Here are links to the drawings relating to the County Council’s parking proposals. Your local councillors have been pressing for some additional short stay parking in the centre of Headington to relieve pressure on some residential roads. Concerns have also been raised on safety grounds about congestion at the junction of Osler Road and London Road.

The effects of the proposals are as follows:

Osler Road

The east side will remain No Waiting at Any Time (Double Yellow Lines – DYLs).

On the west side, working northwards from London Road there will be the following changes:

a) the existing loading restriction at the beginning of the road on both sides will be extended by 5 metres;

b) the limited 1 hour parking (3 places) will be adjusted to make the parking partially on the footway for 2 spaces;

c) the permit parking area outside No.9 will become DYLs;

d) beside the Bowling Green the 2 two-hour shared use parking spaces will be increased to 5 spaces;

e) the parking space outside Nos.43/45 will be DYLs;

f) the existing No Waiting 8-6.30 Monday to Friday beyond the Hospital entrance will become 2 hour shared use parking during the same time period.

 

Kennet Road (south of London Road)

a) The existing 30 minute parking bay west side will be extended by 1 space;

b) a cycle lane will be introduced on the east side from London Road to outside No.1;

c) the peak time loading ban in that area will be removed from both sides.

 

New High Street (south of London Road)

a) on the west side, the existing I hour parking will be extended by one space;

b) on the east side, the existing No Waiting 8-6.30 Monday to Saturday will become 1 hour limited parking for 5 cars

 

New High Street (north of All Saints Road)

a) the shared use parking north of All Saints Road junction will be extended and permit parking bay south of that junction will be extended;

 

All Saints Road (near New High Street)

a) the shared use parking on the south side will be extended.

 

All Saints Road_ New High Street

Kennett Road

New High Street

Osler Road Central

Osler Road North

Osler Road South

Comments or objections to the proposals, specifying the grounds on which they are made, and any other representations, should be sent in writing to the Director for Environment and Economy (ref: DMT/Osler) , Speedwell House, Speedwell Street, Oxford, OX1 1NE. no later than Friday 16 May 2014. The Council will consider objections and representations received in response to this Notice. They may be disseminated widely for these purposes and made available to the public.

We are discussing these proposed changes with local residents. Please get in touch with us if you have any concerns. Paper copies of these plans are available for consultation at Bury Knowle Library.

 

 

29 Old High Street appeal decisions released

Here are the latest appeal decisions in Headington Ward

Ward

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Address

Reference

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Description of Development

Delegated or Committee Decision

Appeal Decision

Headington

29 Old High St

13/00880/FUL

Partial demolition of existing house and demolition of existing garages and outbuildings. Erection of two storey side and rear extension. Provision of new access, car parking and turning area. Rebuilding of stone boundary wall fronting Old High Street.

Committee

Dismissed
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Headington

29 Old High St

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13/00881/CAC

Partial demolition of existing house, boundary wall and complete demolition of existing garages and outbuildings.

Committee

Dismissed

Headington

29 Old High St

13/00317/CPU

Application to certify that proposed conversion and extension of existing house

Delegated

Dismissed

to form 2×2 bed flats (Class C3) and erection of 3 new buildings to form 2×2 bed and 1×1 bed dwellings (Class C3) is lawful development.