Bertie Park decision being reconsidered!

Cllr Upton is chair of the planning committee. She summed up before the vote: “I actually think, having grown up in the countryside, I love having wild space to go around that’s not actually a MUGA or a playground. I think having a nature trail around Site B could be actually rather nice, especially asContinue reading “Bertie Park decision being reconsidered!”

Planning permission not the end of the story for Bertie Park

Oxford city council planning committee has approved plans for building 100% social/affordable housing on Bertie Park. This depends on the award of a Homes England grant. If they don’t get the grant, they have to go back to planning committee. They will plant blackberry bushes to make sure that people can’t wander off the pathContinue reading “Planning permission not the end of the story for Bertie Park”

Bertie Park goes to Planning Committee 23rd June

Bertie Park is 90 years old. It was built at a time when it made more sense to invest in recreation grounds to keep people healthy, than hospitals to treat the sick. This means that most people in this area played on Bertie Park, their kids play on it, or their grandchildren do. That’s whyContinue reading “Bertie Park goes to Planning Committee 23rd June”

Labour silence on Bertie Park

Oxford City Council accept that “the overwhelming local community view … is that Bertie Park is needed.” Labour’s leaflet says they are “investing in our parks and shared spaces.” They’ve got “new play equipment” for Hinksey Park, Fox Crescent and Friars Wharf. But they want to shrink Bertie Park down to 20% of its size.Continue reading “Labour silence on Bertie Park”

What the candidates think about Bertie Park

I asked Rick Tanner, Siobhan Lancaster and Hannah Scott. Hannah Scott: Green Party Bertie Park wasn’t mentioned on the Green Party leaflet, so I asked Hannah Scott what she thought. She apologised for leaving it out. Hannah is against building on Bertie Park. She thinks there’s an urgent need for affordable and social housing, butContinue reading “What the candidates think about Bertie Park”

Problem with tall people using Bertie Park MUGA

Oxford City Council want to build on Bertie Park. Government policy says it has to be replaced with “equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location.” OCC have big problems with our Multi Use Games Area (MUGA). They want to put it 11m from bedroom windows. Thames Valley PoliceContinue reading “Problem with tall people using Bertie Park MUGA”

List of Oxford parks, recreation grounds and allotments “suitable for development”

Oxford’s Office and Research and Development space is increasing by 72%. OCC say this a “seismic shift” in the city’s economy (read here p.6). So our housing crisis will only get worse. All parks, recreation grounds and allotments are now “Green Infrastructure.” The following “parcels” of land are now considered grey belt, and suitable forContinue reading “List of Oxford parks, recreation grounds and allotments “suitable for development””

OCC can’t answer Bertie Park speech

We talked to council on 26th January. OCC’s policy for Bertie Park says our recreation ground has to be re-provided. OCC always knew this was impossible: The planning application was submitted 2 1/2 years ago … Thames Valley Police are worried about crime, anti-social behaviour and community conflict if the development goes ahead: Recent OCCContinue reading “OCC can’t answer Bertie Park speech”

Thorny problem for Bertie Park

Bertie Park Recreation ground has a play area with 14 items of equipment. So, when the council’s first drawings showed only 4, we complained. They reassured us that there could be “as many as 9 items of equipment” in their new play area. We wondered how. Now we know! The new plans show a toddlerContinue reading “Thorny problem for Bertie Park”