News awaited on future of Barbican eyesore site

The derelict site next to he Barbican was due to be sold by informal tender last November. There has been no word since then and the land is still listed with Savills (Leeds).

The site has an existing planning permission for 187 apartments.

The land has been available for development for over 10 years. Unfortunately it currently blights the local neighbourhood and is an unwelcome sight for visitors walking the City Walls.

The Contonavirus will have had an affect on the house building market although current demand for some types of property in the City is apparently strengthening. The reduction in Stamp Duty should provide a further boost.

It would be a shame if this key site were left as it is for another decade.

Coronavirus York updates; 23rd July 2020

Deaths and test results

The have been no additional hospital deaths or positive test results today

Face coverings

It is already mandatory to wear a face covering when using public transport and from this Friday (24 July), we must also wear one when we’re out shopping.

A face covering is classed as something which safely covers the nose and mouth. You can buy reusable or single-use face coverings, make your own or use a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering, but these must securely fit round the side of the face.

A face covering should:

·         cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably

·         fit comfortably but securely against the side of the face

·         be secured to the head with ties or ear loops

·         be made of a material that you find to be comfortable and breathable

·         ideally include at least two layers of fabric

We also have a video with advice from our Assistant Director for Public Health, Fiona Phillips, available to view on YouTube, which you are welcome to share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHdcSC9Khfw&feature=emb_title

Some people are exempt from wearing one for medical reasons.

More details on face coverings are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own

Reopening of leisure centres

Better Leisure, the charitable social enterprise that operates leisure facilities on behalf of City Of York Council, has announced its plans for a phased reopening from 25 July 2020.

All customers will have to book online or on the Better App for an hour slot at each centre: https://www.better.org.uk/coronavirus/booking

Burnholme Sports Centre and Energise Leisure Centre will open on 25 July for gym, Swim and group exercise classes. Yearsley Pool will open in August with a date still to be confirmed.

Centre opening times:

·         Burnholme Sports Centre – Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am -4pm

·         Energise Leisure Centre – Monday to Friday 7am – 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am -4pm

Inside centres, signage and floor markings will assist with one-way access and social distancing. Equipment within gym areas will be reduced to ensure that 2 metres social distancing between users is maintained, while some fitness classes will be relocated to sports halls or even, weather permitting, the open air.

Swim customers are requested to arrive with their costume on under their clothes to save time and reduce pressure on change areas. Gym and studio customers will be encouraged to bring their own drinking water (and mat if needed) – and shower and change at home.

Staff will be adopting a new, enhanced cleaning regime, while customers will be asked to wipe down the equipment that they have used. Hand sanitiser will be available throughout leisure centre buildings.

More information is available at https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/york/news/re-opening-of-leisure-facilities-in-york

Lowfields – new homes not ready for occupation until next year

This Lowfields site will include 140 mixed tenure homes of which 56 will be affordable homes. The contractor has been on site since December 2019 and the Council says that it is “progressing well” with significant progress on “infrastructure work along with substructures”.

However the first 34 homes are now not due to be completed until early in 2021.

The Council decided to develop the site itself at a meeting held in July 2018

It later formed a company called Shape homes and said it would recruit staff to work with it. The latest financial report suggest that this had not progressed by the end of the financial year with over £1.2 million of the available budget slipping into the current year.

The Council also failed to invest £1.9 million of the budget that it set aside for the repair and modernisation of existing homes.

Football pitches

Meanwhile the football pitch project on Sim Balk Lane has stalled. The pitches were nominally supposed to replace those lost at Lowfields as a result of development, albeit they are 3 miles away. The land near London Bridge became waterlogged over the winter and is only now beginning to grass over.This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is New-football-pitches-Sim-Balk-Lane-4-4th-Aug-2019-858x1024.jpg

The biggest problem though is the expensive “pavilion” which incorporates changing rooms.

A report to a meeting being held today says, “The construction of the pavilion / changing rooms has been put on hold due to the Covid-19 restrictions and it is not known when the work will be able to restart. The final procurement for the access road has also been put on hold”.

We wish that project well, but would have preferred to see some of the £850,000 cost (to taxpayers) invested in outdoor sports/leisure facilities in the Westfield area.

Huge £1.8 million overspend by Council on James House project

The conversion of James House from offices to 57 self-contained apartments for temporary homeless accommodation was completed on 14th April 2020, fifteen months behind schedule.

The Council says, “For homeless households the self-contained apartments will offer safe, secure and comfortable accommodation before permanent housing can be found for them. James House was open to residents in June 2020”.

The Council now admits that, as well as being 15 months behind schedule, the final costs are currently £1.782m above the agreed budget of £12.4m.

The council says that they have appointed independent experts to review the programming, delay, and quantity surveying aspects of the project.

Latest waste service update from York Council – Wednesday 22 July

We were unable to collect household waste from Kingsway West in Westfield due to access issues. We’ll attempt to collect this household waste on Thursday 23 July, access permitting. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.

We were unable to collect recycling from parts of Heworth due to vehicle issues. We’ll collect this recycling on Thursday 23 July. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.

We were unable to collect garden waste from parts of Heworth and parts of Acomb due to vehicle issues. We’ll collect this garden waste on the evening of Wednesday 22 July, or onThursday 23 July. Please leave your containers out for collection.

We were able to collect all outstanding waste from Tuesday 21 July.