Barton Park – public briefing on Thursday

Following the granting of outline planning permission last year for the Barton Park development (see Barton Park: 13/01383/OUT), the applicant is preparing to submit “Reserved Matters” planning application/s in relation to key strategic infrastructure for the site, which is anticipated to be reported to the East Area Planning Committee for decision before the end of 2014.

This application/s will contain details of the junction arrangements to the A40, the main spinal road, including the two public squares, surface water and foul drainage, the linear Park and any earthworks needed to re-level parts of the site.

This briefing has been arranged for the applicants to update Councillors both in terms of these infrastructure works, as well as on progress to date on detailed proposals to deliver the residential and other development on the site.

This meeting is open to members of the public. All are welcome to attend. There is no need to contact the Council beforehand.

Location: Oxford Town Hall

Thursday 24 July

17.00

PS Ruth agrees that 17.00 is a very poor start time for people with full-time jobs outside Oxford, and for those who pick up children from school and nursery straight after work. She constantly complains about this to officers!

Planning applications about trees

Applications to carry out work on trees can be controversial, and there is one application affecting The Croft which is causing a lot of concern currently. Here are the latest tree applications for our ward:
14/02017/CAT

Ruskin Hall, Dunstan Road

Various tree work to multiple trees (as specified in the application form) in the Old Headington Conservation Area

14/02050/CAT

1 Ethelred Court

Fell 1 no. Judas tree in Old Headington Conservation Area

Just the one..

planning application this week, for minor amendments to a permission in Staunton Road. See above tab for details

Latest planning decisions

Two permissions have been granted to a house in multi-occ in Bateman Street and for a porch and extension in Franklin Road. Please click on above tab for details

Consultation on the County’s Transport Plan ends 1 August

Local Transport Plan 4 – Stage 1: Goals and Objectives

The County Council has published a consultation document setting out proposed goals and objectives for the new Local Transport Plan. You have until 1 August to send in your comments.

To see the document please click here

These are the questions that residents are being asked:

Consultation Questions

Do you feel we have correctly identified the most important transport challenges that need to be addressed? If NO, please say what you think are the most important challenges.
What do you think is the best way to reduce the need to travel?
Please tell us your ideas for making the best use of the existing transport network.
How could travel around Oxfordshire be made easier for you?
What do you think are the best ways to meet the travel needs of people who do not have access to a car, for example younger, older and disabled people?
Where in Oxfordshire do you think future development would best be located to help reduce transport problems?
When trying to reduce journey times and improve journey time reliability, what (if any) types of journey should be prioritised?
What do you think would make public transport more attractive to people who don’t normally use it?
The need for of goods and materials to be transported will increase as the population grows – how should our transport strategy address the negative impacts of increased freight transport (lorries and vans) on people’s lives and the environment?
What do you think are the best ways to reduce carbon emissions from transport in Oxfordshire?
What are the best ways to encourage more people to walk?
What are the best ways to encourage more people to cycle?
Overall, do you agree with the draft high level goals and objectives for LTP4? If NO, please say which you disagree with and explain why.
Is there anything which the goals and objectives do not adequately cover? If YES please tell us what you think they should cover.
Finding the money to install mass transit schemes such as trams may not be possible within the current funding mechanisms (government grants and developer funding). How do you think the money could be raised in other ways?

Old Road Campus plans

The University of Oxford’s application to erect a medical research building has just been published for consultation. This is seeking approval of appearance, landscaping, scale and layout of the proposed Big Data Institute

The expiry date for public comments is 23 July

You can see the details (and all 73 related documents!) here

Bury Knowle Depot build to go ahead

The City Council has met its pre-commencement conditions for the build on the Depot site so work can now start.

13/01814/CT3

Details submitted in compliance with conditions 1 (commencement), 2 (approved plans), 3 (materials), 4 (affordable homes), 5 (boundary enclosure), 6 (refuse and cycle storage), 7 (landscape plan), 8 (landscaping), 9 (engineers surface finishes), 10 (soakaway and underground services), 11 (Arboricultural Method Statement), 12 (Arboricultural Method Statement), 13 (access road), 14 (lighting scheme), 15 (Construction Site Management Plan), 16 (residents travel), 17 (parking permits), 18 (Construction Travel Management Plan), 19 (sustainable drainage scheme), 20 (ecology report), 21 (Natural Resource Impact Assessment), 22 (Geotechnical Survey report), 23 (roof lights), 24 (secured by design) and 25 (Construction Traffic Management Plan) of planning permission 13/01814/CT3.

This week’s planning decisions

..are both on properties in Lime Walk. We are awaiting a deluge of emails about parking permits! Click on planning decisions tab on top toolbar for more details

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.

29 Old High Street appeal decisions released

Here are the latest appeal decisions in Headington Ward

Ward	Address	Reference	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
Headington	29 Old High St	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