York Central planning application submitted

The York Central Partnership has submitted a planning application for the first phase of infrastructure works to unlock York Central

The plans include:

  • new access road for the site
  • bridge over the East Coast mainline
  • tree planting and landscaping

The York Central Partnership has submitted a planning application for the first phase of infrastructure works to unlock the York Central site and allow development to start, following extensive consultation held in February and March. The Partnership will now work, including through the planning process with City of York Council, to achieve a positive outcome in these exceptional times.

The partnership made up of Network Rail, Homes England, City of York Council and supported by the National Railway Museum is developing proposals to regenerate the 45 hectare site, one of the largest city centre brownfield development sites in the UK. This planning application will create the necessary access to the site, so that it can be unlocked to provide homes, employment opportunities, a new park and other facilities.

The first Reserved Matters application proposals include:

  • New access routes throughout the site, including 1.85km (1.1 miles) of segregated cycle and pedestrian pathways
  • A new bus lane on Cinder Street and routes for two park and ride services to run through the site
  • A new bridge in weathering steel, the same material is used on the new Scarborough Bridge foot and cycleway, across the East Coast Mainline
  • A £4m shared pedestrian and cycle bridge added to the Water End bridge
  • New streets and access points, including a Leeman Road link road, change to Leeman Road tunnel and Marble Arch
  • A new rail siding which will be used by the National Railway Museum
  • Mature tree planting along the routes, and new pathways and landscaping through Millennium Green

While the timing of any development is now likely to be impacted by the current lock-down, most concerns are likely to relate to the absence of a new dedicated cycle access in the Leeman Road tunnel area.

Leeman Road tunnel issues not resolved.

The current proposals involve a shared access route using the existing, sub standard, structure. One way working would impede public transport services.

There are similar access concerns for cyclists in the Wilton Rise area.

NB. The applicants promised to include the responses made by residents to their last public consultation, which took place in February, when they submitted this final planning application. They do not appear to have done so. Instead there is a sanitised version which fails to address many of the points made

Coronavirus York updates; 23rd April 2020

Sick absence hits York Council staffing levels.

Being reported that 31% of the York Councils waste staff are currently on sick leave. This compares to a “normal” figure of 21%

Coronavirus deaths

FIVE more patients with coronavirus have died at hospitals run by York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, taking the total number of such fatalities to 91.

Learning together in York

City of York Council’s community learning team, York Learning, is posting daily challenges online, together with virtual courses, to help keep York learning.

York residents are being encouraged to keep mentally active by getting involved in lifelong learning activities during the coronavirus lockdown.

City of York Council’s community learning team, York Learning, is posting daily challenges online, together with virtual courses, to help keep York learning.

#CommunityLearningTogether sets short challenges and ongoing courses to inspire, teach a new skill, or help with relaxation. Courses and activities currently available online include pilates and dancefit; dressmaking, crafts, fine arts, computer skills, maths tasters and modern foreign languages.

Further information about the classes, challenges and lifelong learning opportunities across the city is available online or: @York.Learning.CYC on facebook or @yorklearning on twitter

York coronavirus testing centre to open for key workers

A drive-through coronavirus testing facility is to open at Poppleton Park and Ride in York, as part of the Government’s UK-wide drive to increase testing for thousands more NHS and other key workers.

The site sits alongside a rapidly expanding network of testing sites being set up around the UK, and is operating on an appointment-only basis for NHS staff and other key workers. The facility will be piloted for its first few days of operation.

This follows the launch of the Government’s partnership with universities, research institutes and companies to begin rollout of the network of new labs and field testing sites across the UK, with 28 regional testing sites opened to date.

This network will provide thousands more PCR swab tests – which are used to identify if you currently have the virus – for critical key workers, starting with NHS front line staff. This means those who test negative for coronavirus can return to work as soon as possible, and those who test positive are able to recover.