Oxford: Nine Flat Plan for Headington Faces Likely Refusal

Someone named Dunne wanted to build flats on London Road. This was proposed in September of last year. The plan included nine flats in total: six four-bed, two three-bed, and one two-bed. These flats would be houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

The building would have some extras like private space, parking, and bin storage. A cycle store was also planned for the residents.

Oxford City Council will decide on the project soon. That meeting is set for February 25th and they are leaning towards saying no.

Locals aren’t thrilled about the idea. Five people officially objected to the plan. Judith Cossins worries about the building’s height. It could impact her Barton Road neighbors and their privacy might suffer from windows and balconies.

Cossins also thinks the style is a bad fit, saying it clashes with the existing look of things. Thomas Mahon agrees it’s too much for the space and that too many flats could cause problems.

Traffic, parking, noise, and pollution could worsen. Planners don’t like the building’s size and shape. They think it’s too big and stands out too much and does not fit in with the area’s style at all. The design does not improve the neighborhood. The benefit of nine HMO flats isn’t enough to outweigh the bad design.