Just occasionally a Council goes completely mad

If anyone had suggested over a pint in a public bar that a dozen used sea containers should be allowed to park on a sensitive City centre site in York, for three years, they would have been laughed at.

But in essence the Council’s Executive committee will consider doing just that on the vacant Reynard’s garage site when they meet next week.

Reynards Garage site

Reynards Garage site

A proposal from a group called “Spark” would see affordable space created for “local start-up businesses, social enterprises, community groups and charities for over 20 businesses in 14 fully fitted out shipping containers. The completed scheme would offer street food kiosks, retail, shared workspaces, meeting room, a performance area and public workspace. Although constructed from shipping containers they can be clad and finished in a variety of finishes to fit the locality and create a high quality aesthetic finish”.

A Council official writes that the plan would  ” improve the quality of the area and by driving footfall, contribute to uplift in land values”

Sea containers to be parked on Piccadilly?

Sea containers to be parked on Piccadilly?

The use of low quality temporary buildings with transient users has, of course, had just the reverse effect on land values elsewhere.

It is an extension of the post war bomb site “used car dealer” syndrome.

The containers are expected to be available to rent for £300 a week. Many are expected to be street food outlets and will compete with the mobile vans and stalls which already existed in the Shambles market area.

The Council is expected to spend £40,000 connecting utility services to the site. It says it expects to recover this from rent income although how much “Sparks” would actually pay is unclear.

And critically the location is within sight of some of the most important historical buildings in the City. These include the Merchant Adventurers Hall and the Castle complex.

The Council has had plenty of time to come up with with a constructive, low risk, option for the use of this site.

In the run  up to Christmas it should be used to supplement the overcrowded Castle car park.

After that there are many unobtrusive  leisure and commercial uses that could be considered if the Council really can’t get its “Southern Gateway” major redevelopment project into gear.jumbo-big-square-hay-bale-foreground-dimensions

We have said for some time that the Council has over-extended itself. It has too many major projects on the go at the same time.

Quality is suffering and short term expedients become straws to be grabbed at.

In this case a whole bale of hay is about to fall on the Council leaderships head.

Latest planning application for the Westfield Ward

Below is the latest planning application received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the words highlighted in blue

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65 – 71 York Road Acomb York

Change of use of first floor of unit 4 from office (use class B1) to health and fitness centre (use class D2)

Reference           16/02477/FUL

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 Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received

York Central access bridge wobbles

It looks like the plan, approved by the then Labour controlled Council three years ago, to build an access road into the York central site from land near Cleveland Street, is causing second thoughts. No meaningful consultation took place before the Council opted in 2013 to by land on which they hoped to build the access road.

The proposal has now been “called in” for further consideration by the same Labour Councillors who originally said  “Route E” was their favoured route.

access-route-options-nov-2016

 

However a final decision on an access route and other infrastructure works, still seems to be many months away with many funding hurdles – for the whole project – still to be surmounted.

York Council taxpayers are still expected to bear £10 million of the costs of the roads according to the latest Council budget. 

Officials say that a progress report will be presented to the Councils Executive on 21st November with papers being published on 16th November.

 

Harewood Whin tipping to continue for another 15 years

It looks like tipping t the Harewood Whin landfill site near Rufforth could continue for another 15 years.
Entrance to Harewood Whin

Entrance to Harewood Whin

A planning application being considered next week will allow tiopping “in the eventuality that it is not possible process the anticipated volumes of waste through the approved Allerton Park Energy from Waste Plant”.

The activity has been subject to criticism n the past and the officers report makes the following observation

“The application site lies within open countryside to the north east of the village of Rufforth although a number of residential properties lie within a 500 metre radius and as a consequence of the elevated nature of the site longer distance effects are sometimes experienced in terms of noise from processing machinery.

The site is however subject to a detailed noise management plan which has proved highly effective in recent times and it is felt that there has been no material change in circumstances in respect of impacts upon residential amenity since planning permission for extension of the landfill activity was initially given in 2004”.

There have been no objections to the proposal

The report recommends that the planning committee meeting on 17th November approve the plans.

NB: Nearby a proposal to site a poultry farm on land off Bradley Lane, Rufforth is recommended for refusal

Have your say on the Joint Minerals and Waste Plan for York

Local communities, developers and other interested parties will have the opportunity to have their say on where, when and how minerals and waste development may be expected to take place in the York and North Yorkshire area until 31 December 2030.

A six week consultation on the Joint Minerals and Waste Plan for York and North Yorkshire will take place between Wednesday 9 November and 5pm on Wednesday 21 December 2016.

City of York Council, North Yorkshire County Council, and the North York Moors National Park Authority have joined together to produce a plan for the area covered by the three authorities.

City of York Council’s Local Plan Working Group and Executive approved  the draft Minerals and Waste Joint Plan for consultation in October.  (more…)

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Front Street

Front Street

Below is the latest planning application received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the words highlighted in blue

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Flat 1 2 Front Street York YO24 3BZ

Use of house as a Large House in Multiple Occupation (Sui Generis) for up to 8 occupants (retrospective)

Ref. No: 16/02421/FUL

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2 The Green Acomb York YO26 5LR

Single storey rear extension (amended scheme), dormer to rear and proposed external staircase to detached garage to rear

Ref. No: 16/02323/FUL

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 Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received

Latest planning application for the Westfield Ward

New health and fitness suite planned for Acomb

Below is the latest planning application received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the words highlighted in blue

—-

65 York Road

65 York Road

65 – 71 York Road Acomb York

Proposal              Change of use of first floor of unit 4 from office (use class B1) to health and fitness centre (use class D2)

Reference           16/02477/FUL

—–

 Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received

The Council has also approved changes to the layout of the Hob Stones development. There now appears to be no planning impediment to the homes being occupied.

Hobstones building work

Latest planning application for the Westfield Ward

Plans for a new house behind Front Street were lodged with the Council. Concerns have already been raised by residents about the condition and street lighting on the back lane which would form the only access for the property.

Plans for a garage conversion on Front St have been withdrawn

There were no new planning applications submitted for the Westfield area last week

The planning application to construct a new home on the lane to the side of Ali Barbers on Front Street has been withdrawn.

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 Representations can be made in favour of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning on line web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council now no longer routinely consults neighbours by letter when an application is received

So they’re really going to do this to Cliffords Tower!

cliffords-tower-york-plans-front

Council officials are recommending that the controversial new visitor centre at Clifford’s Tower should get the “go ahead”

Clifford Tower Georgian Society quoteIn a report to next weeks planning  committee, they propose to overrule the views of just about every major conservation group in the City.

Those objecting to the English Heritage plan include:

  • YORK CIVIC TRUST
  •  THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS
  • YORK GEORGIAN SOCIETY
  • GUILDHALL PLANNING PANEL
  • RIVER FOSS SOCIETY

Guildhall planning panelIn the main the objections refer to the loss of a unique view of the City although some criticise the architectural approach. Several say any visitor centre should form part of an holistic approach incorporating improvements to the adjacent car park.

The repairs and improvements planned for the Tower itself have generally been welcomed.

cliffords-tower-york-stairs

The proposed visitor centre has been criticised as intrusive and out of scale