Shark

HEADINGTON NEWS ARCHIVE for 2025

Kirby House planning application withdrawn

Kirby House is tucked in behind the shops at the north-west end of Windmill Road, next to New Ground Coffee. It is currently occupied by the Oxford Dance Studio, which took over from the Step-by-Step Dance School about eight years ago, and has about 400 members. It is the home of the Oxford University Dancesport Club, whose membership is open to all.

The building was sold to Statim Build in January 2024, who in April 2025 submitted a planning application to demolish the building (which was recently refurbished by the dance studio) and replace it with a three-storey building with commercial space on the ground floor and five two-bedroomed flats above. This planning application was WITHDRAWN in June 2025:

Planning Appeals in Headington in 2025
Four Headington appeals allowed in 2025
  • Bayswater Farm, near Sandhills
    Barton & Sandhills ward
    APP/Q3115/W/24/3354458 (SODC)
    APP/G3110/W/24/3354459 (Oxford City Council)
    These appeals relates to the refused application 24/01541/OUT
    for 76 dwellings and a care home.
    See below under “Dismissed applications” for the earlier appeal against a bigger development
  • 2 Perrin Street (retrospective)
    Headington ward
    Erection of a boundary wall
    Refused application 24/02238/FUL
    Allowed appeal APP/G3110/D/25/3359715
  • 6 Grunsell Close, Northway (retrospective)
    Headington Hill & Northway ward
    Erection of a single-storey ancillary rear outbuilding
    Refused application 24/01826/FUL
    Allowed appeal APP/G3110/D/25/3358408
  • 68 Derwent Avenue (retrospective)
    Headington Hill & Northway ward
    Single-storey rear extension
    Refused application 24/02379/FUL
    Allowed appeal APP/G3110/D/24/3357912 (started 22 Jan 2025)
Ten Headington appeals dismissed in 2025
  • Site of 34-36 York Road
    Quarry & Risinghurst Ward
    Conversion of 2no. existing outbuildings including alterations to roof to create an ancillary annexe. Installation of solar panels to south roofslope. Insertion of 1no. door to west elevation (part retrospective)
    Refused application: 25/00652/FUL
    Dismissed appeal: APP/G3110/W/25/3371909
  • 299–301 London Road
    Quarry & Risinghurst ward
    Demolition of existing commercial units and first floor residential flats. Erection of a part two-, part three-storey building to create 6 x 1 and 2 x 2 bedroom flats (Use Class C3). Provision of private amenity space, bin and bicycle storage
    Refused application 24/01807/FUL
    Dismissed appeal APP/G3110/W/25/3362926
  • 1 Derwent Avenue
    Headington Hill & Northway ward
    Erection of a first-floor side extension
    Refused application: 25/01657/FUL
    Dismissed appeal: APP/G3110/D/25/3374851
  • 23 Bernwood Road, Barton
    Barton & Sandhills ward
    Change of use of dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to supported living accommodation for adults (Use Class C2). Demolition of existing side outbuilding. Erection of a two-storey side extension and a part single-storey, part two-storey rear extension. Provision of bin and cycle storage
    Refused application 24/01875/FUL
    Dismissed appeal APP/G3110/W/25/3361952
  • Bayswater Farm, near Sandhills
    Barton & Sandhills ward
    APP/G3110/W/24/3353532 (Oxford City Council)
    APP/Q3115/W/24/3353533 (SODC)
    These appeals relate to the refused application 24/00075/OUT for up to 121 dwellings and a care home
    See above for a later smaller application that was approved by the Planning Inspectorate
  • 15 Glebelands (retrospective)
    Lye Valley ward
    Installation of cladding on south side elevation. Erection of pergola/trellis structure and raised decking in rear garden
    Refused application 24/02352/FUL
    Dismissed appeal APP/G3110/D/25/3359764
  • Gurdwara, 295–301 London Road (retrospective)
    Quarry & Risinghurst ward
    Retention of a static caravan for a temporary period of five years
    Refused application 24/02200/FUL
    Dismissed appeal APP/G3110/W/24/3356663
  • Quarry Mews, 1 Quarry High Street
    Quarry & Risinghurst ward
    Enforcement Notice appeal
    Enforcement notice 18/00097/ENF
    Dismissed appeal: APP/G3110/C/22/3292360
    Enforcement details:
     18/00097/ENF with 42 items under the “Documents” tab giving the council's and the appellant's case
    22/00009/ENFORC relating to the wall and hedge
  • 3 Toot Hill Butts
     Quarry & Risinghurst ward
    Demolition of garage and outbuildings and partial demolition of boundary walls adjacent to Toot Hills Butts and Colemans Hill. Erection of a part single-, part two-storey side extension and a first-floor side extension. Subdivision of plot to create 1 x 2 bed dwellinghouse (Use Class C3). Erection of a single-storey garage. Installation of satellite dish, air source heat pump, and bike stores. Formation of a dropped kerb. Alterations to fenestration, chimney, entrances, and landscaping
    Refused application 23/02836/FUL
    Dismissed appeal: APP/G3110/W/24/3353418
  • Flat A, 79 Stanway Road, Risinghurst
    Quarry & Risinghurst ward
    Erection of a single-storey rear extension
    Refused application 24/01594/FUL
    Dismissed appeal APP/G3110/W/24/3353730
Flats at 299–301 London Road refused

The appeal against the refusal of planning permission to Akash Turna for a block of eight flats to replace the pair of semi-detached shops at 299 and 301 London Road was dismissed:

Churchill Hospital major development approved

On 25 February 2025 the Oxford City Planning Committee approved a major planning application for a new Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility at the Churchill Hospital:
“Erection of a modular manufacturing building (Use Class E). Extension to service road. Installation of sprinkler with palisade fencing, electrical transformer, vehicle barriers, bollards and lampposts. Provision of car and cycle parking, loading area, fencing and landscaping”.

On 18 March 2024 the University of Oxford submitted 22 revised documents seeking to address the concerns of Natural England, the Friends of Lye Valley, and others, and fourteen revised drawings were added in August 2024, and many more in December 2024..

Seven new operating theatres for the JR

This major planning application by the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was approved by the Oxford Planning Committee on 19 March 2024 and the decision issued on 16 August following a section 106 agreement. It is for “Erection of an extension to provide modular theatre building with link corridor, provision of two external plant buildings, associated infrastructure, landscaping and parking”:

Stansfeld Park development

Pile driving for the new Aspen Building at Stansfeld Park in Quarry Road started in August 2025.

On 11 December 2024 Oxford City Planning Committee approved the Oxford Trust's application for this new building “to accommodate Class E(g) (i and ii) (office and research and development) and F1 uses (education) with associated infrastructure and provision of a replacement car park”:

This city council bulletin stated: “Thames Water has also started placing restrictive conditions on planning applications – including a new R&D building for science and tech start-ups in Stan[s]feld Park, Headington – that would prevent occupation of the development before the sewage treatment works are upgraded". The Thames Water response can be seen under the Documents tab of the application.

City & County Council Consultations in 2025
Headington Central Controlled Parking Zone

Closed on 25 July 2025

Temporary Congestion Charge for cars

Closed on 3 August 2025

  • Views were sought on temporary congestion charge at six locations from autumn 2025 until the reopening of the Botley Road allows the traffic filters to be introduced on those roads
Oxford Local Plan 2043

Closed on 8 August 2025

Oxfordshire's household waste recycling centres

Closed on 11 August 2025

Local Government Reorganization

Closed on 12 August 2025

  • Views sought on whether there should be one, two, or three unitary councils covering Oxfordshire

 

 

Shop and businesses changes in 2025

(Shop changes and closures in 2024 can be seen here)

Headington Post Office closed

Headington Post Office closed down permanently at 1pm on Wednesday 31 December 2025 a few days prior to the closure of the Midcounties Co-op.

Bhoomi Kitchen became Dhamroo

The Bhoomi Kitchen, which opened in the former Mirabai Restaurant at 70 London Road in August 2020, closed in October 2025 and the Dhamroo Restaurant in O opened at its premises almost immediately. The Bhoomi Kitchen went into voluntary liquidation on 6 March 2024, and on 8 July 2025 its premises licence at 70 London Road (formerly the Mirabai Restaurant) was transferred to Golden Spoon World Ltd.

Co-op Funeral Services reopened

The Central Co-op refurbished its Funeralcare premises in Holyoake Hall in Headington and opened again in July 2025.

Grounded Kitchen closed

The Grounded Kitchen Korean restaurant at 108–110 Londorn Road closed in 2025. It had debts of more than £86,000 when the owning firm (Canal Ventures Ltd) went into liquidation.

Oxford Framing Centre closed

The Oxford Framing Centre, which was in the Manor Buildings at 67 London Road (on the corner of Osler Road) since 2000, closed in April 2025. It is being refurbished in late 2025..

Mazaya Mediterranean repossessed and put up for sale

Mazaya Mediterranean at 2A Windmill Road opened on 18 June 2025, (replacing the House of Seoul, the oriental grocery store that opened on 22 June 2024 in the former Sue Ryder charity shop and closed down in April 2025). The Mazaya which was run by QB Oxford Ltd survived less than two months and was closed by mid-August 2025. The landlord put the property up for sale (leasehold) for £70,000 or to rent at £2,292 per month, and repossessed the premises on 4 November 2025:

Acropolis Greek Taverna closed and opened again

The former owners of the Acropolis Restaurant at 146 London Road (AF Oxford Ltd) went into compulsory liquidation on 13 May 2025 and a solicitors' notice dated 16 May 2025 placed in the window of the restaurant explained that the company had failed to pay the rent for the Acropolis for the last two quarters and that the landlord, Khushi Properties Ltd, intended to effect peaceable re-entry. On 16 May the voluntary strike off action for the Oxford Greek Taverna Ltd (Company No. 11350115) was suspended and after a two-week closure the restaurant reopened on 24 May 2025. It no longer trades under AF Oxford Ltd, but the same people run the business and have told the Oxford Mail that they have no plans to close.
    The restaurant does not own its premises and in August 2025 they were advertised for sale (leasehold £175,000, or rent £3,667 per month), but this sale is now marked as withdrawn..

British Heart Foundation charity shop closed

The British Heart Foundation charity shop at 94a London Road closed on 24 December 2025. The shop opened here in 2001, soon after the corner of the London Road and New High Street was developed. This still leaves Headington with seven charity shops.

College & County estate & letting agents opened

College & County Estate & Letting Agents moved into Bury Knowle Coach House, which was advertised to let here.

The Six Bells reopened under new ownership

The bar and restaurant of the Six Bells in Headington Quarry is now open under new management. They have no website, but those on Facebook can see the menu here.

The premises were sold by Greene King to the present owners,and the Fusion Kitchen by Aziz (which opened there on 16 April 2024) had to close on Sunday 2 March 2025.

Blanchford's Building Supplies closed

Blanchford's closed down permanently on 14 February 2025 after 67 years on its Windmill Road site. An administrator was appointed on 20 February and on 4 March its registered office changed from 59 Windmill Road to the Liverpool accountants BDO: more details.

The Range opened

The Range opened in the former Homebase in Horspath Driftway on 28 February 2025.

Imaginatal opened

The Imaginatal Ultrasound Scanning Clinic offering private prenatal scans moved into the former Audio-T shop at 19 Old High Street in February 2025.

Hospices of Hope Charity Shop opened

The Hospices of Hope charity shop opened in the former Headington Fair Trade shop at 104 London Road on Tuesday 11 March 2025.

Master Butchers opened

The former shop at Unit 1B, Holyoake Hall that was occupied by Bluefin Fishmongers opened as “Master Butchers” (Halal) in February 2025.

Jasmine & Olives opened

This restaurant opened in the former Ice Hair salon at 11 Windmill Road on 30 December 2024 and has been granted a premises licence. The menu primarily features Lebanese, Moroccan, and other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

In 2023 the whole block that No. 11 occupies was offered for sale by Carter Jonas for £750,000 as an investment opportunity.

Ferguson Bricknell solicitors closed

Ferguson Bricknell Solicitors at 122B London Road (above Finders Keepers — formerly Edward Pilling and then Withy King) was closed down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority on 30 December 2024:

This three-roomed office is advertised by Marriotts as being to let, with rental offers of £30,000 per annum exclusive invited. .

Red Sky Ltd opened

The shop formerly called Euro Foods at 115 London Road has been called Red Sky Ltd since June 2025 and an application (25/02673/TRPREM) has been submitted to transfer the premises licence to Rawaz Rezaei. It sells vapes, tobacco, soft drinks, and meat, and is also an off licence and grocery. It was given a zero hygiene rating on 14 July 2025.

Sandfield Guest House closed

The Sandfield Guest House at 19 London Road is now closed. It was put on the market in May 2024 (guide price £1.65m), but the Scott Fraser advertisement has now been withdrawn. A planning application for change of use from guest house to dwelling house was approved in September 2025:

Local elections held on 1 May 2025
Oxfordshire County Council election (whole council)

Just one county councillor represents each county council division, and in the four divisions covering the Headington area all were re-elected at the election on 1 May 2025, namely:

Barton, Sandhills & Risinghurst: Glynis Phillips
Churchill & Lye Valley: Liz Brighouse
Headington & Quarry: Roz Smith
Marston & Northway: Mark Lygo.

Election results in Headington & Marston

These county councillors have all been elected to May 2029, but there are likely to be changes in the council's structure in 2028.

Oxford City Council by-election (in one ward only)

James Taylor (Labour) won the by-election for the city council held in Headington Hill & Northway Ward, beating the Independent Oxford Alliance by just sixteen votes. The by-election followed the resignation of Barbara Coyne (originally Labour, then Independent), and his term of office is for one year.

Full city council elections are not due to be held until May 2026, but this by-election was held as Councillor Barbara Coyne (Labour to 26 October 2023 and then Independent) resigned on 24 March 2025.

Two new Vicars for Headington

In September 2025 the Revd Emma Hopegood Jones was installed at St Andrew’s Church in Old Headington and the Revd Martin Little at Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry.

The Revd Paul Niemiec continues as Priest-in-Charge at All Saints Church, Highfield.

Brookes: Headington Hill Hall site

The following developments commenced in 2023 and building work continued in 2025:

(1) Clive Booth Student Village

Phase 1 of this student village in John Garne Way, accessible on foot from Cuckoo Lane, was completed in time for 342 students to move in at the beginning of the academic year in 2024. Eventually there will be c.1,000 rooms.

Background to this development

On 12 October 2021 the Oxford Planning Committee refused this revised application by Oxford Brookes University to replace twelve buildings at Clive Booth student village in John Garne Way, but it was called in to the Planning Review Committee by thirteen city councillors (details here), and was approved at its meeting on 11 November 2021:

“Demolition of twelve buildings (including main accommodation Blocks C, F, G, H, J, K, L and M) and erection of twelve buildings to provide student accommodation, with ancillary communal and social facilities and associated administrative building (Class C2). Erection of children's nursery (Class E). Alterations to car parking, installation of cycle parking structures and associated landscaping works, including reorganisation of existing footpaths and cycle ways, drainage features and ancillary development. Installation of a waste compactor unit and alterations to an existing road to enable access”

On 11 December 2021 the following article by Peter Hitchens condemning this decision was published in the Spectator:
“Only a benevolent dictator can save Oxford”
(but note that only two articles can be viewed as a guest)

(2) New Engineering Building

A planning application was approved on 21 June 2022 for an Engineering Building on the site of the ancillary car park next to the Richard Hamilton Building:

(3) New Technology, Design, & Environment building
(on site of Helena Kennedy Building)

The original planning application by Oxford Brookes for the demolition of the existing Helena Kennedy building and the erection of a replacement academic building for the Faculty of Technology, Design, and Environment was approved on 1 August 2018:

The designs were shown at a public exhibition in March 2018:

The plans were delayed, however, as asbestos was found in the ground, and a revised application incorporating a basement was submitted:

(4) Cuckoo Lane footpath

Planning permission was granted to Oxford Brookes University in January 2022 for its planning application relating to the Cuckoo Lane footpath, which included partial demolition of the boundary wall (which is curtilage listed) to form a new entrance gap, and closing the existing gap.

Houses built on site of Quarry Gate pub

The building of three houses on the site of the Quarry Gate pub started in October 2024 and was completed in 2025:

The following planning permission for the site of the former Quarry Gate pub at 19 Wharton Road (demolished in 2015) was granted on 29 March 2021: “Erection of 3 x 4-bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3). Provision of car parking, private amenity space, bin and bike stores”, but the plans were rejected by Building Control on 12 August 2022:

In late 2023 Seville Developments of Oxford sold the site to Kilkenny & Gomm Developments Ltd of Oxford, who submitted the following applications relating to the above approved plan:

  • Variation of condition 2 (Develop in accordance with approved plans), 8 (Contamination 1) and 13 (CTMP) of planning permission 21/00586/FUL to allow alterations the car parking layout as well as internal and external changes to the approved dwellinghouses:
    Variations approved on 22 March 2024: 23/02904/VAR
  • Condition 8: Contamination:
    Details approved on 18 March 2024: 21/00586/CND3
  • Condition 13:  Construction Traffic Management Plan:
    Details approved on 5 March 2024: 21/00586/CND2
  • Details submitted in compliance with condition 3 (Materials - Samples) and 13 (CTMP) of planning permission 23/02904/VAR:
    Details approved on 21 June 2024: 23/02904/CND
  • Non-Material amendment to planning permission 23/02904/VAR to allow various minor alternations including; fenestrations, room layouts and materials:
    Approved plans 23/02904/NMA

Plans submitted to Building Control in March 2024: were withdrawn two months later (22/00606/DOMFP/A).

Details submitted in compliance with conditions 8 (Contamination 1) and 13 (CTMP) of planning permission 21/00586/FUL were refused in January 2024 (21/00586/CND)

Some preliminary levelling took place in May 2024, as the work needed to start before the planning permission granted to Seville Developments expired on 14 June 2024.

The five applications submitted by the previous owners (Seville Developments)

(1) Their first (full) application was refused on 19 June 2018 on the grounds that it “fails to relate to the strong sense of character of the surrounding area”. It was for “Erection of 1 x 3-bed and 2 x 4-bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3). Provision of private amenity space, bin and cycle storage and car parking spaces”:

(2) Their second (outline) planning application was approved on 22 May 2020: “Outline application (seeking approval of access, layout and scale) for the erection of 1 x 3-bed dwelling and 2 x 4-bed dwellings”:

(3) The third full application is the approved plan above

(4) Their fourth (full) planning application was approved on 19 October 2021. This was for: “Erection of a 1 x 4 -bed dwelling with garage (Use Class C3) and 4 x 2-bed apartments (Use Class C3). Provision of landscaping and bin and cycle storage”:

(5) The last plan, submitted in September 2023, was withdrawn in January 2024. It was for “Erection of 3 x 4-bed dwellinghouses (Use Class C3). Provision of car parking, private amenity space and bin and cycle stores”:

More flats in Headington
(1) Developments following Lime Walk test case

In September 2019 the Planning Inspector for the 4 Lime Walk planning appeal confirmed that no provision for affordable housing need be made on that site. This set a precedent for all developments of between 4 and 9 flats, and a high number of applications have been submitted in Oxford since that date.

(2) Offices/shops/banks/restaurants to flats

Since May 2014 it has been possible to convert offices to homes under permitted development rights (as long as specified aspects such as transport and highway impacts, and contamination and flooding risks are checked first). When the government brought in this scheme in 2013, officials anticipated that it might result in as few as five extra conversion projects a year across the whole of England, but very soon there were ten successful applications in the Headington area alone, the most significant being the conversion of Nielsen's at Thornhill Park

On 1 August 2021 this Class O permitted development right for conversions of offices to residences was replaced by Class MA, which now includes all Class E properties (shops, banks. and restaurants) as well as offices, with a maximum size limit of 1,500 square metres:

(3) Rooftop extensions to dwellings

Following revised permitted development rights adopted in September 2020, rooftop extensions are allowed without obtaining planning permission but still need prior approval. These applications have the suffix BFL56, and so far only one has been approved (at Girdlestone Close)