Local Plan – Developers jumping the gun?

Freedom of Information revelation

The Council has admitted in a response to a Freedom of Information request that it is discussing building on green field sites on the outskirts of York before a new Local Plan has been agreed (or even discussed publicly)

Some of the sites are in the current Green Belt which is protected by a parliamentary directive.

Civil Service sports ground Boroughbridge Road, York

Civil Service sports ground Boroughbridge Road, York

Some applications are proceeding with undignified haste:

Application at Brecks Lane Strensall      (now granted planning permission)

Scoping opinion for Monks Cross North

The council has admitted giving pre application advice for the following sites:

Land at New Lane Huntington

Land at Church Balk Dunnington

Former Civil Service Sports Ground, Boroughbridge RoadMillfield Lane –“currently invalid”

The Council now charges for pre planning application “advice”. It says that it does not reveal which sites it is giving “advice” on.

This means that residents and other interested parties are effectively precluded for the process and will only become involved when there is a “done deal”.

The York Councils approach to establishing a new “Local Plan” is little short of disgraceful. Residents who made a record number of objections to Labour’s plan have been kept in the dark about the process for nearly  9 months.

Meetings have been scheduled in April at which the views of landowners are expected to be published.

No timetable for dealing with residents objections has been set.

Council’s Community Equipment Loan Store and Telecare Service Mutual to launch

One of City of York Council’s first social enterprise ‘spin-offs’ will officially launch next week (Tuesday 1 April).

The council’s Community Equipment Loan Store and Telecare Service (CELTAS), which provides social care equipment, Warden Call and telecare support to vulnerable residents across the city, will become a Community Interest Company from 1 April. The council will continue to have a share in the new company – ‘Be Independent’ – though the majority will be staff-owned.

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