Another current attempt to wrestle genuine public space from the hands of those seeking Mammon is underway at Dawson Street at the bottom of Cowley Road East Oxford.

Half the battle has already been won, in that one end of the street is closed to cars and the council is open to the potential use of the area for a new public open space with community activity. As per usual this possibility is being hijacked
by commercial interests, with the proposed extension of cafe's Coco and Kazbar, and a planning application has been submitted by Mr Pugh, tenant cafe proprieter, for a pavement style cafe with cycle parking...masquerading as the garden square we need and deserve, in what is essentially a relatively small space, just big enough to create a genuine public green oasis.
This raises various issues regarding inclusivity & access.
New definition as a public space, which DOES include some tables and chairs for said cafes, (at the edges) being the preferable option enabling genuine community activity.

By offering to foot the bill for landscaping, Mr Pugh effectively would own &
control the space, leaving a residual public area & pre-empting any chance of
regular community based activities. Whats more, he is only a tenant of his premises....

would he be able to sell his rights to Dawson Street along with his business?

Echoing worldwide struggles for autonomous zones, this small scale potential has
a far outreaching message.... every possibility for setting
precedent regarding reversal of detrimental current trends in social
living & community values has exponential potential.

The planners say they will accept written objections from ANYONE ANYWHERE as Oxford is a world heritage destination with 2 million visitors a year.
Winning this one....with your help...will send out a clear and powerful message and
example.....


*Its simple, just email to  planning@oxford.gov.uk quoting reference number
06/01491/FUL, with an individual response to include the following issues*


- Mr Pugh's planning application pre-empts and undermines the creation of street
oasis and community space, to the public detriment

- Cycle parking for his customers detracts from any chance of a quiet space being established and takes up a substantial part of a limited space

- The number of tables and chairs and their position across the main entrance to the garden, reduces safe and comfortable access.

- Most importantly this is not a suitable use, there are enough cafes, there are no gardens!!!!!!!!!

- finally his plans cleverly understate the actual amount of space that his tables & chairs, bicycle racks & waiting staff will take up.

- we have a steering group whose counterproposal is a public garden square with a few tables and chairs on the edge from Mr Pugh's cafes, thus ensuring the greates choice for the greatest number.

- we are seeking an initial definition as public space followed by the inclusion of some of Mr Pugh's tables and chairs, through normal licensing channels, in appropriate proportion to the available public space.
We are not proposing to exclude cafe services, we simply want them to be peripheral to free community use and that his proposal to pay for the landscaping is rejected in favour of public finance and community fundrasing to which he will be invited to contribute.


A fantastic opportunity to get this pulled to the East Oxford Parliament, away from distant bureaucracy & business interests, exists via enough people emailing their objections as previously mentioned, to:
 planning@oxford.gov.uk ref: 06/01491/FUL Dawson Street Garden

To inspect planning application online visit
www.oxford.gov.uk/planningapplications

relevant counsellor for the area cc: to  nualayoung@hotmail.com

DEADLINE AUGUST 13, so theres no time to lose to wing this round the world and back!!!!!!!!!