A new Costa Coffee planned for Oxford - and other building projects this week

For details see oxford.gov.uk/planning

A new Costa Coffee will be coming to an Oxford neighbourhood.

The former Caffé Nero on London Road, Headington has closed and its logos and signs have been removed from the building.

In its place, a Costa Coffee is due to open, with the hot drinks giant having submitted a planning application for its red, branded signage on the building.

Permission to change the signage of the corner building at 116-120 London Road was submitted last week.

Above the café in the same building is an all-night gym.

Because of the Covid 19 pandemic, restaurants, cafes and other shops selling food can only open for takeaway at the moment.

Planning reference: 21/00423/ADV

An architect's drawing of the skateboard ramp. Picture: via Oxford City Council

Residents of a Cowley house who built a skateboarding ramp in their back garden have asked for permission to keep it up.

The ramp is known as a half pipe because it resembles a U-shape and allows a skateboarder to build momentum by repeatedly skating up and down each side.

Nicki Broderick, of IMB Planning wrote to Oxford City Council on behalf of residents at the home on White Road to confirm if the ramp could be kept.

In her letter she said the homeowners had discussed the ramp with neighbours, had said it would only likely be used for two hours on two occasions each week, and that there were high hedges or fences either side to maintain privacy.

She added there were ‘various recreational noises and activities’ in the nearby area including swimming pools and trampolines and said the ramp would not create further detriment because of this.

Planning reference: 21/00380/FUL

A proposal to demolish a leisure centre and replace it with more rooms for the hotel next door to it may need to be renewed as the time limit to carry out the works has ended.

Plans to demolish a leisure centre at the Holiday Inn next door to the Peartree Park and Ride were approved in 2018.

In the place of the leisure centre, described at the time as unsuccessful, the hotel wants to build a four-storey extension to provide more rooms.

But the three-year time limit to carry out the works ran out this February.

The hotel chain has now applied to make sure that if it continues with the work it will be lawful.

Photos submitted alongside the application show that the old leisure centre has already been knocked down.

Planning reference: 21/00242/CEU

Exeter College, Oxford pic by Simon Q

Exeter College has plans to refurbish its historic library on Turl Street.

Works would include installing a new lift inside the building, altering the roof, replacing windows, and structural maintenance.

Because the building is Grade II listed, special listed building permission is needed to carry out the works.

Planning reference: 21/00355/LBC

Redbridge park-and-ride

Electric charging points and ‘canopies’ with solar panels attached to the top of them will be installed at a park and ride.

The works will be carried out at Redbridge Park and Ride, and are part of a large city council scheme to add more electric vehicle charging points across the city.

To make sure the new chargers and solar panels work, new wiring would be installed underground around the car park.

A new electricity substation would also be installed alongside the park and ride too.

Planning reference: 21/00355/LBC