PROPOSALS to revamp an empty bingo hall, plus the removal of cash machines from a former bank and temporary buildings at a university, are among the latest planning applications in Oxford.

• Bingo hall plans

An application has been submitted for a change of use at an empty bingo hall.

The Buzz Bingo at the Ozone Leisure Park, opposite the Kassam Stadium, closed due to the business becoming ‘unviable’.

Now, Firoka (Oxford Leisure) Ltd has submitted an application to turn the bingo hall into a bingo hall with potential leisure use.

In a cover letter submitted with the application, Firoka states: “We have sought to see if any other operators would be willing to take it on but there are none who would take these premises, which now sits unused.

“The essence of this application is that by allowing broader use, we can possibly attract a new tenant.

“If we can do that, we may help the other tenants and businesses on site by having a busier venue.

“Changing the use as we envisage would not have any consequences other than to improve the site’s vibrancy.

“The planning permission that we seek would not ‘lose’ the bingo use; it would allow use of the site for either bingo or for leisure, hence why we have described the use as we have.

“At present, leisure seems the better prospect however.

“The hall can accommodate a very large number of people at one go.

“This will not be increased by having other leisure use.

“As such, the need for parking will not be increased, nor will the amount of traffic be increased from what was associated with bingo.

“As bingo is/was typically a mass attended event (the hall has 1,042 seats) it may be that leisure use traffic is more spread out and thus will not have a large peak or any peak at all.”

Planning reference: 21/02519/FUL

• Removal of two ATMs

Two cash points will be removed from a former bank after planning permission was granted.

The ATMs will be removed from the former Barclays bank in London Road, Headington.

In their place will be a ‘three-part bi-fold door’ to the front of the building facing London Road.

The branch closed last year and has been subject to various planning applications since.

Initially, three one-bedroom apartments were refused on the second floor, however the development was allowed following an appeal.

A Government-appointed inspector gave the plans the green light.

Meanwhile, the first floor is set to see another three one-bedroom apartments with conversion works in the process of being implemented.

Outlining reasons why it closed the branch, Barclays said it had identified just 68 customers who used it exclusively for their banking.

The bank also said the number of transactions had gone down and that 88 per cent of its branch customers used other ways to do their banking, such as online and by telephone.

In the 12 months leading up to the decision to close, 63 per cent of the branch’s customers had been using neighbouring branches.

Planning reference: 21/01033/FUL

• Temporary buildings at university college

Three single-storey buildings have been given the go ahead, for a temporary period of 12 months.

The buildings will be put up at Exeter College in Turl Street.

Refurbishment is taking place at Exeter College therefore a temporary space for the pigeon holes and porter’s lodge are being sought.

The temporary buildings, which will be positioned in a corner of the lawn in the Front Quadrangle at Exeter, will be made from timber and are described as looking like ‘typical garden sheds’.

Two identical outbuildings will be used to house the pigeon holes, and will have a ‘modest pitched roof’ and will be finished in an ‘unpainted natural timber’.

The temporary porter’s lodge is also set to be simple in appearance, but will be painted white with double glazed windows and a felt roof.

Roger Bannister, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, and the authors Philip Pullman and J.R.R. Tolkien are all alumni of Exeter College.

Planning reference: 21/02000/FUL