An esteemed and highly respected friend and colleague

13 December 2012

We mourn the loss of an esteemed and highly respected friend and colleague – David Townsend, who died on 12 December 2012 in St Luke’s Hospital, Oxford. David served as Secretary of the Transport Group of the Society from 2002 to 2010, and on the Executive until his health deteriorated in the summer of this…

What's happening in Neighbourhood Planning across the city

8 October 2012

We know of the following groups who are developing, or considering developing, a Neighbourhood Plan (NP) or Community Plan (CP) in Oxford

Progress on the Woodcote Neighbourhood Plan

6 July 2012

Woodcote is a village of about 2500 residents in South Oxfordshire off the Reading to Wallingford road. When the chance to be a Neighbourhood Planning Front Runner came along last year, Woodcote was up for it. They wanted to integrate new housing as sympathetically as possible into the existing village. This is the story so far.

Progress towards establishing a Neighbourhood Plan.

4 July 2012

St James is an Electoral Ward with a population of 6000 close to Exeter University and the City Centre. They have enthusiastically embraced the idea of a Neighbourhood Plan, and this is how they are getting on.

An event on Wednesday 27 June 2012 at Oxford Town Hall.

4 July 2012

Neighbourhood planning is rather like Everest: a seemingly formidable challenge, not for the faint hearted, but potentially very rewarding if you make it to the summit. This appeared to be the feeling of some at least of the seventy four participants at the end of the “Plan Your Neighbourhood” event jointly organised by the Civic Society, Oxford Brookes and Oxford City Council at the Town Hall on the evening of Wednesday 27 June.

Street clutter near Oxford's wayfinding signs

13 June 2012

Following a test audit of Turl Street by the Oxford Civic Society, Gordon Reid, Oxford City Council's City Centre Manager, suggested that we might inspect city centre locations in the vicinity of the forthcoming wayfinding signs to identify items of street furniture which might be removed.

Saturday 24 September 2011, Jacqueline du Pré Building, St Hilda’s College

19 May 2012

Our Low Energy Seminar provided some sobering statistics on the scale of the task of meeting Government targets. The next decades are going to need massive behavioural change as well as wholesale adaptation of all our buildings if we are going to avoid the risks of disastrous climate change and safeguard our energy supplies. Clearly this is not just an issue for the ‘greenies’ - it will involve all of us, and it needs to start now.

Saturday 12 November 2011, Jacqueline du Pré Building, St Hilda’s College

19 May 2012

Civic Society members were joined by local Councillors, City and County officers, members of the public, students, visitors and representatives of local action groups who enjoyed a thought-provoking and compelling day of debate at this event.

Oxford Museum's future has been secured

16 May 2012

In 2009, the City Council proposed closing Oxford Museum as part of a cost-cutting exercise. We vigorously opposed this, pointing out the unique contribution the Museum made to understanding the city's and university's development; the service it offered to visitors and tourists; and the richness of the educational programmes provided for Oxfordshire schools. Volunteer helpers were organised to keep the Museum open at reduced cost. The Museum now has a new future as part of the plans for a modernised, more welcoming and user-friendly Town Hall.

Where should development go?Our response to the City Council's consultation

11 May 2012

Why is there no Master Plan for Headington, given the huge developments in NHS, research and higher education that will be taking place over the next few years? What is being done to meet the Government’s targets for housing in Oxford? Where is it sensible to locate new student residences in the City? What should happen to the Jericho canal side? Should restrictions on Houses in Multiple Occupation be tightened? These are some of the many questions that arose during discussion of the City’s Sites and Housing Development Plan Document which was approved by the City Council on 13 February 2013.