Kicking off at new Community Stadium

Joint Statement from York City Football Club and City of York council about the York Community Stadium

“We are delighted to announce that an agreement has now been reached between City of York Council and York City Football Club. The club will occupy the new stadium with effect from Monday 11 January 2021, with their first game due to be held on Tuesday 19 January as they take on Gateshead in a National League clash.  

Both parties have worked extremely hard to overcome any obstacles in the delivery of the project, with the aim of having York City Football Club in their new home as soon as possible.  

Both parties would like to make clear that all recent issues have been resolved and our primary focus is on readying the stadium for fixtures this month.

 The Council recognises that recent public statements regarding elements of the YCFC lease were unfortunately misrepresented and we look forward to building on this positive working relationship moving forward.  

Cllr Nigel Ayre, Executive Member for Finance and Performance, said: “We would like to thank York City Football Club for their input and involvement in the project and we look forward to a very bright future for both of the cities sporting teams. We look forward to welcoming Gateshead FC later this month. Our aim throughout our work on the York Community Stadium project has been to deliver an incredible stadium and wider leisure facility for supporters, residents and the wider York community.  The new stadium boasts 8,500 seats and has already been recognised by the FA and RFL as one of the finest smaller stadiums in the country, with both organisations looking to use the site in the future, not just for the Rugby World Cup later this year!”  

Jason McGill: “On behalf of everyone at York City Football Club, our staff players and supporters, we thank the Council for delivering this great stadium and look forward to our next chapter, with the LNER Community Stadium as our home.”  

Consultation on latest Minster neighbourhood plan starts

The neighbourhood plan for the area surrounding York Minster has now been updated to include a new use for buildings vacated by the closure of the Minster School.  

The revised plan is now available for consultation (click)

While the closure of the school will be regretted by many (the pupils have moved to St Peters) the buildings formerly occupied by the school do offer exciting opportunities for both Cathedral management and the York community more generally.

The main changes from previous drafts affect the main access to the Minster. This will revert to the South Door (opposite the end of Stonegate).

Click to access

A ticket office would be established at existing buildings on Deangate.

The old school building would become a Refectory (restaurant). This is a facility provided at most major Cathedrals and would be a useful addition to the visitor experience in York.  

There are plans for an outdoor seating area, while the school field could become a “pop up” exhibition space.

The consultation period lasts until 14th February 2021 and can be accessed by clicking here

The Holy Trinity Church lies to the rear of the Old School building.

Dating from the 14th Century it currently can only be accessed from Goodramgate.

A blue plaque outside the church marks the occasion when Anne Lister and her partner Ann Walker took Holy Communion together at the church at Easter 1834 an event popularised in the recent TV series “Gentleman Jack”.

The church is very much a hidden gem but attracts 75% “Five Star” reviews on Trip Adviser from those who manage to find it.

We think that new access and interpretation arrangements for the Holy Trinity Church should be considered as part of the review of the neighbourhood plan. Holy Trinity is currently the maintenance responsibility of the Churches Conservation Trust.

Consultation begins on green corridor works near cycle path

Sustrans, who manage the York – Selby cycle path, are consulting on the work that they they hope to undertake on the trees and bushes which are adjacent to the path.

Already some work has started on removing invasive and self seeded trees the roots of which have damaged the adjacent cycle path.

Work has already started next to the track near Riccall.

The consultation takes a deeper look at the future of the green corridor.

Invasive Himalayan balsam would be removed while an effort would be made to introduce tansy into the grassland sward to support the tansy
beetle.

Near Bishopthorpe, some fruit trees may be planted.

Click for details of what is planned.
The consultation closes on 1st January 2021

We think that most cycle path users will welcome this initiative from Sustrans.

We only hope that repairs to the surface of the cycle path will start quickly now.

Too many sections of the route have been made hazardous by root damage.

No news yet on when the promised improvements, to the York Council maintained section of the cycle path between Tadcaster Road and the A64, will start. Improvements were promised as part of the plan to provide a new clubhouse and pitches for Bishopthorpe FC.

The clubhouses itself – although currently mired in mud – is making progress but no start date for the promised path upgrade has been given.

Building works near Sim Balk Lane started over 12 months ago.

This section of track is also now subject to tree root damage.

York’s new stadium complex completed

City of York Council and operators GLL have confirmed that the LNER Community Stadium complex has been completed.

The project was agreed by the Council in 2008 with the original intention of opening the facility in 2012. At that time it had been expected that the section 106 contribution from the developers of the Vanguard shopping centre would have covered all the costs of the new stadium.

The reality is that taxpayers now face a £15 million+ bill.

There is likely to be an inquiry into how costs have escalated at the stadium. Even the taxpayers contribution agreed in 2017 (above) may be exceeded

Nevertheless the stadium will be a welcome addition to the City’s facilities, although it remains unclear when all services located there will actually be up and running.

York City’s next home fixture is scheduled to take place on 28th December.

The Council has issued a media statement saying that, with the final safety checks complete, the council and GLL will formally take control of the site from the building contractors on Friday 18 December.

The council and GLL are now working with partners to make sure residents benefit from the many sports, services and facilities it will host as soon as possible.

These include:

  • an 8,500 seater stadium for York City Football Cub and York City Knights
  • a community hub, including a library and community offices for York’s sports clubs
  • York Against Cancer shop and offices
  • NHS outpatient services
  • new swimming facilities, gym, dance studio and sports hall with spectator seating

Another restaurant deal flops leaving York taxpayers £1.375 million out of pocket

Community Stadium commercial block

The York Council is set to admit that a deal to underwrite the construction of 3 restaurant units at the York Community Stadium, branded in 2017 as “highly risky”, has flopped.

A meeting next week will be told that the Authority must either lease the empty units itself or face an increase of £1.375 million in its contribution to the Community Stadium budget

The news comes one week after the authority was forced to admit that another restaurant, which it constructed as part of the Guildhall renovation project, will also remain empty. That restaurant was supposed to provide £150,000 a year in rental income which would have been used to offset the costs of the Council’s new Guildhall “business centre”.

2017 budget

The Council agreed in October 2017 to accept liability if the developers were unable to lease the Community Stadium restaurant units.

Now with “practical completion” only apparently a few weeks away, and the units still not leased,  the Council must decide whether to reduce the sale price for the commercial block or to lease the units itself for 25 years.

Another option, offered by land investment company L&G, would be for the Council to, effectively, buy out their interest in the units.

A Council report says, “Accepting a lease of these 3 units would also enable the Council to facilitate subletting’s for the units to a wider market as the Council could review offers from local and smaller businesses that would not be considered under L&G’s corporate benchmark although subletting’s are subject to L&G’s approval”.

Maybe so.

But the hospitality industry has changed beyond recognition recently. Even before COVID struck, two of the adjacent existing restaurant units (not owned by the Council) had become empty.

Existing Monks Cross restaurants are struggling

It is likely to be some years before Monks Cross becomes a destination location with a high footfall.

The Council could also find itself competing against itself to let restaurant units at both Monks Cross and the Guildhall

The Council has not published a business plan which would guide its next set of decisions.

There should be no more ill considered adventures using taxpayers money.

The City already faces cuts to basic public service standards as a result of COVID. Taxpayers should not be expected to subsidise empty floorspace.

Lessons must be learned for the future.

Good weather brings out walkers as leaves fall in York

Good weather in York has encouraged walkers and cyclists to take advantage of local open spaces.

The Knavesmire has been popular with walkers while the Millennium Bridge and Rowntree park were very busy today.

Ray of light for Knavesmire walkers

Most of the leaves are off the trees now. A lot of clearing up still to do in some areas

Leaves on some local roads

Exercise during lockdown

Although group walks are banned during lockdown, there are a lot of options which can be followed on an individual basis in west York. Some are more taxing than others.

“Move the Masses“ produces a map covering three routes in the Acomb area including one that crosses Bachelor Hill (see below).

Click to enlarge

The same group also advertise routes which include Acomb Green (click) and Fishponds Wood (click)

Elsewhere the Westfield Ward Councillors have claimed on their Facebook page that the tree trunk, which currently blocks the Foxwood Lane access to Acomb Moor, will be moved “as soon as the ground dries out”.

Maybe so. But if this happens then we hope that walkers will restrict their movements to the perimeter of the field until the crop has been harvested.

One consequence of more people walking in the area is that the footpath infrastructure is deteriorating more quickly. There is a need for stiles to be repaired and for hardcore to be putdown at locations which are flooding.

Hardcore needed on some muddy sections of local footpaths

The Council has known about these pressures for some time and needs to reprioritise its leisure budgets to properly support healthy living routines.

Bus shelter lets down new disabled centre

The condition of the bus shelter outside the spanking new disabled centre in Ascot Way is disgraceful.

Out of use for a year as it was taken over by a builders compound, the expectation had been that a new shelter would be erected before the Councils contractors left the site.

This hasn’t happened so it – and the nearby public noticeboard which was also damaged – remain as unfortunate reminders of poor planning

The bus shelter is rusty, panels are missing or loose, weeds cover the floor and the whole structure is filthy. Altogether a poor advert for public transport in York.

Dirty and damaged bus shelter. Only the school sign has been renewed.

Nearby the council have invested in some tiny “entry” and “exit” signs for the centres car park. We doubt anyone will see them. It would be more effective to paint carriageway arrows to indicate the one way system.

The playground – for the use of children at the centre – has been completed.

One way system and new play area which is not accessible for the public.

Meanwhile the Council has now completely demolished the all weather multi user games area (MUGA) . There is still no sign of the promised replacement which was to have been erected on the Thanet Road Sports Area.

MUGA mugged!