Planning
William Marx serves as one of the members of the HRA Committee who oversee planning in Highfield and adjacent districts. This involves keeping up-to-date with proposals for building and development projects that are submitted to the Planning Department of Oxford City Council who regularly releases lists of applications that have been received.
If you wish to consult the Oxford City Council website under Planning for details of the applications. Those who have concerns about planning for Highfield and Headington are encouraged to contact William with their suggestions, objections, and, in some instances, approval of plans for development – not all of what we receive is negative. Where members of HRA or residents of Highfield and Headington who are not members have concerns and objections about proposals for building and development, William is willing to submit comments (very often these are objections) to the Oxford City Council Planning Department. These comments are then published on the website page for the project along with the plans and supporting documents. The Planning Department is obliged to consult these objections and provide responses.
For those who would like individually to access applications for planning on the Oxford City Council website and to register their objections, William has prepared guidelines on how to do this. The procedure looks more complicated than it actually is.
In the past we have raised objections to a number of development schemes. These are not always objections to the projects as a whole, but very often suggestions for modification and improvement.
A notable local campaign to which HRA contributed was against the redevelopment of the Co-op building on London Road which also housed the local branch of the Post Office. The plan was to demolish the building and to use the site for a hotel – there would be no provision for the Post Office. HRA was one of many organizations and individuals in Headington to make the case against the project, and these objections were upheld, ultimately by the Home Office which made the final decision in our favour. This was a significant result of community action🥳
Current Projects of concern
Co-op and Post Office closure
A new planning application for the Stile Road site has been submitted following the closure of the Co-op and Post Office in February. The planning application is for the site to be demolished and a new 2-3 storey building built to provide research and development and offices.
The Post Office has been relocated to 12 Windmill Road and is now open Monday to Friday 9;00 to 5:30 🥳
Plot B2 on the Old Road Campus
The HRA has registered concerns on the plans for a building for the study of Pandemic Sciences. This is referred to as Plot B2 on the Old Road Campus.
The application is registered as 24/02451/RES. The abbreviation ‘RES’ indicates that the application includes the ‘reserved’ parts of the plan showing details of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the project which gives a fuller picture of what is planned.
In general, HRA has expressed approval for the project. Our main objections are what seem to be an increase in the number of car parking spaces (459) and a building that in part will reach 5 storeys.
Warneford Park Project
Many of you will have gone to the recent consultations on the proposed development of the Warneford Hospital site. These developments will have a big impact if they go ahead, so it’s important our views are heard. More details on their website and you can subscribe to their newsletter by email.
Latest News: The contentious planning permission given in May 26 will be reconsidered by the Planning Review Committee if requested by more than 12 councillors (as at mid June 26)