A week left to comment on homes plan for Holland site

The Admiral Holland while it was still trading

At the time of its demolition last year it was expected to follow on from the council’s other Build projects – and now plans have been put forward for permission.

These envisage seven, one-bed houses, one three-bed house and six one-bed flats in a scheme which would back on to Woodgreen Avenue and The Fairway to look over a road leading off the latter.

The pub was built by Banbury brewery Hunt Edmunds in the 1960s and with some of his relations on the board, named it after the Vice-Admiral. He was born in Middleton Cheney and died commanding HMS Hood, the then flagship of the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

But though the pub has gone, part of it lives on. When its fate became clear Darran Gough, who had been involved in saving the railway locomotive named after the Hood, saw the chance to save the sign and present it to the HMS Hood Association.

He approached Cherwell District Council, and in particular councillors Kieron Mallon and Mark Cherry, leading to a special ceremony on the Severn Valley Railway in 2016 when the presentation was made.

Association secretary Jackie Miller said at the time: “The committee and members of HMS Hood Association are delighted by the donation of the ‘Admiral Holland’ pub sign, presented to Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks by Darran Gough and Cllr Mark Cherry.

“It will be a valued and much appreciated addition to our archive.”

For further details on the plan, look for application ref 18/01591/CDC on the Cherwell website. Public consultation expires next Friday, October 19.