These neighbouring houses on the Marcham Road are currently used for education. The buildings are too big for your average family home and so have found other uses – first business and now education. But as the need for housing grows they could become housing again on a smaller scale.

The one that was the Radcliffe Publishing Company until two years ago now houses a nursery. That nursery moved in 2012 from another large house not far away on the Faringdon Road in Abingdon. Before the plans for the nursery the landlords had previously got planning permission to change the house to flats with smaller units of housing behind. I don’t know if that will happen now the nursery has moved in, but it could be still an option.

Next door is a school described as ‘Outstanding’ by Oftsed for young students with dyslexia.

The Landlord has recently obtained planning permission to convert that particular house back to housing, with extra housing behind.

But that will not happen quite yet. The school had the painters in over summer. And the school has an agreement with the landlord that they can stay until they find somewhere better. But the growing demand for housing means that large houses like these two have the option to become houses again – split up into flats hiding new small houses behind.

More scaffolding has appeared along Bridge Street today – this time with yellow netting which matches the flower display.

After years of being ‘To Let’ somebody is moving into the offices above the Registry Office, with the view onto Roysse Court. That somebody is Abingdon-on-Thames Town Council who took over ownership of the Guildhall and Roysse Court from the Vale of White Horse District Council in April 2011.

The Town Council is planning to move from its leased offices in Old Abbey House to their own offices in the Guildhall and Roysse Court.

For years there was just a pile of earth between the motorcycle centre and care home on Marcham Road, but very high flats have replaced the pile of earth.

New retirement flats next to John Mason school are also nearing completion.

At Abingdon College the new training workshop for motor mechanics should be ready for the new college term.

Very difficult to see what is happening behind the stone wall of Our Ladies Abingdon, but a new design and technology centre should also be ready for the new school term.

In Abingdon, “Schools out for summer!”

The Blog will have a short summer break. Back in two weeks.

There are plans underway to demolish Mayott House, the care home next to the fire station, and erect 42 (affordable) flats for frailer older people together with a communal lounge area and courtyard.

Currently Mayott House looks like an ordinary Abingdon terrace without any doors. The planning application says “the existing building is now outmoded and not suitable for use or conversion. As a result the home is being closed and most residents have already been found new accommodation”

The new design is three storeys high but the third storey has dormer windows in the roof – not wanting to be overbearing.

There was a public consultation a few months back about the plans. The main concern by neighbours was the disruption caused during construction. Lets hope this will provide a place where elderly people can live as independently and cheaply as possible and that it does not need knocking down in another 40 years. The plans will be decided upon in the next few weeks by the district council.