Hob Stones planning application changes now on York Council web site

Details of the proposed changes to the Hob Stones development on Windsor Garth can now be found on the Council’s web site

The planning application can be read by clicking here

An explanation for the proposed changes from the builder can be found by clicking here

Residents have until 9th August to record any objections.

Unfortunately, the applicant appears to have attempted to drown the application in a sea of documentation much of which replicates the papers submitted 3 years ago. Hopefully the Council will reorder the papers to make it clearer just precisely what changes are being proposed.

click to access

click to access

York Council meeting to debate EU referendum fall out

Three of the four motions up for debate at the York Council meeting on 21st July spring directly or indirectly form the result of the referendum.

Big City smallStrangest is one from an Independent Councillor who spectacularly mixes up cause and effect when asking the government to reduce housing targets because international (in the case meaning the EU) migration will fall in the future. 

The growth in housing numbers in York is mainly driven by economic expansion targets. Many would say that the numbers included in the Local Plan are over ambitious but would the Council have the courage to scale down its job creation forecasts?

We think not.

If 13,000 (net) new jobs are created over the next 20 years, then those who will fill them are already alive somewhere. Only a very small number – because of York’s low unemployment rate – already live in the City. That means that many more will be inward migrants either from elsewhere in this country or from overseas.

The real issue is not immigration – it is getting a balance in economic growth targets which preserves the character of the built and natural environment of the City.

Residents have an opportunity over the next few weeks to have their say on how that issue can be reconciled.

Elsewhere Labour Councillors are seeking action against racist intimidation, the Tories want more on bus information systems while the LibDem Councillors will be seeking to ensure that Yorkshire keeps its current level of government funding (at risk because of EU exit).

Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to guarantee that York will still receive millions in EU funding and that the positive contribution EU citizens living in the city make is recognised.

The Lib Dems will move a motion at next week’s Full Council saying the Government should ensure that York and Yorkshire receives investment at least equal to that planned to be provided by EU programmes. Between now and 2020, the region will directly receive £661m from European programmes to support small businesses, help residents find work, and support farmers and rural communities.

The motion says that in future negotiations, the UK’s vital trading relationship with the EU should be protected and the Government should put in place a support package to help local businesses deal with the short-term economic shock and the transition to the UK’s new relationship with the EU. The Lib Dems are also calling for the rights of the 5,000 plus EU citizens currently working and living in the city to be protected. (more…)

Have your say on York’s future housing, jobs and growth

Residents, businesses, developers and landowners are being encouraged to help shape one of the most important strategies of our generation, by having their say on the Local Plan sites consultation.

City of York Council is currently preparing York’s Local Plan, which will support the city’s economic growth, protect York’s green belt, address the shortage of housing and help shape future development and employment in York over the next 15 years and beyond.

The eight-week consultation runs from Monday 18 July until 5pm on Monday 12 September on the Local Plan Preferred Sites document, which outlines revised figures for housing, employment and sites.

The council has provided a choice of ways for people to have their say, including joining officers at a number of drop-in events across the city, where they will be on hand to help answer any questions:

Acomb Explore Library

Acomb Explore Library

  • 3 August – West Offices
  • 9 August – Osbaldwick Sports Centre
  • 11 August – Dunnington Reading Room
  • 16 August – York Sport
  • 18 August – Acomb Explore Library
  • 24 August – Tesco Tadcaster Road
  • 24 August – Oaken Grove Community Centre, Haxby

The proposals include several controversial proposals including a plan to overdevelop the Lowfields school site.

On the other hand the Plan would safeguard land lying between the Westfield ward and the northern by pass from the threat of development
Football gala at Lowfields playing fields. The latest plan threaten to build on the green spaces in the area.

Football gala at Lowfields playing fields. The latest plans threaten to build on this green space.

From next week, every household in York is being sent a copy of a special edition of the council’s newsletter Our City, which provides lots of ways they can feedback during the consultation, including a freepost address.

For further opportunities to feedback, or to find out more information:

Go online: www.york.gov.uk/localplan to complete the survey and to find a full copy of the Local Plan Preferred Sites document

Pop into: any of York’s local libraries/Explore centres or the council’s West Offices to see the proposals throughout the consultation period

Email: localplan@york.gov.uk  

Telephone: 01904 552255

Get involved: on Twitter @CityofYork or Facebook @CityofYorkCouncil via the hashtag #YorkLocalPlan

Write to:

Freepost RTEG-TYYU-KLTZ, Local Plan, City of York Council, West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA

To find out more about the Local Plan proposals read our news article here

Surprise news as Lowfields development takes a step forward

Council confirms that it wants to build on football pitches
Lowfields care village 2011 plans - now substantially changed

Lowfields care village 2011 plans – now substantially changed

It looks like an elderly persons care home could still be built on the Lowfields school site. In the latest of a series of policy changes the Council is now being recommended to allocate 3 acres, of the 13.4 acre site, for a private sector care home. This compares to the 6.4 acres allocated 6 years ago for the construction of an elderly persons “village”. Only the footprint of the old school would have been developed under the old plan. That scheme was eventually dropped when the Council decided to concentrate investment on the east of the City at Burnholme.

We welcome the decision to provide more elderly care facilities on the west of the City. The former school site is ideal being conveniently located for the full range of amenities which can be found in the Front Street area.

The rest of the site – including most of the open space/football pitches – would have houses built on it. Currently the football pitches are used by a local team. There is a shortage of pitches (and open space) on the west of the City, although the Council hopes to find a new pitch for the team in the Tadcaster Road area. (A football pitch takes up about 2 acres of land).

The Council plans to divide up the use of the Lowfields site as follows:

  • Care Home and health 3 acres (22%)
  • Housing 9 acres (67%)
  • Open space 1.4 acres (11%)

In total 137 homes would be built. This compares to the 210 homes in the existing Lowfields estate. Officials say that the homes would be “high density” quoting the top of Tedder Road as an example of similar recently constructed houses. Those homes, although popular, do suffer from some issues such as the lack of car parking space. Some are three storeys high.

Officials promise a mix of housing types including “starter homes”, bungalows (like those in Regent Street) and apartments targeted at older people “downsizing” to smaller accommodation. Some land may be allocated for “self build” homes. Access to some of the homes would be from Tudor Road (meaning a road link between numbers 108 & 110). The footpath/cycle link to little Tudor Road would also be reopened.

The report talks of providing health and wellbeing facilities and hints that the Priory Health Centre on Cornlands Road may close and move onto the site.

There is talk of some police activities transferring from York Road to the site. It is now clear that the police intend to sell off the Acomb police station.  If this facilitated the provision of a police desk on Front Street at the library, then that may be regarded as a step forward. Especially so if the derelict land to the rear of the library were developed as part of the project.

Site has been unused since 2007

Site has been unused since 2007

Putting a police office in the middle of an elderly person’s development could be viewed as a strange move increasing as it would the amount of traffic and noise in the area. (There is a similar criticism of the NHS proposal to establish a mental health hospital on the site).

One particular concern likely to be raised by local residents is that officials want to see the development of the site on a “piecemeal” basis. That could mean building works (and the associated heavy traffic) being a burden for local residents for many years. It would seem to be more sensible to agree a blue-print for the whole of the site and then sell it on the basis that completion must be achieved within an agreed timetable.

At the moment the opening date for the care home is put at 2019.

When consulted in 2010 local residents were strongly in favour of restricting development to the footprint of the school. Most wanted the open space to be preserved although there was support for a nature reserve and/or allotments on part of the site.

So there is mixed news here. The future of the Lowfields site may finally be determined and the preferred use – supported by residents responding to surveys in 2010 – of a development aimed at older people achieved.  But the Council, in a bid to increase the value of the site to £3.8 million, seems prepared to jettison some of the assurances it give when the school closed in 2007.

Some serious consultation with affected residents is now needed.
(more…)

York central development – consultation results published

The results of a public consultation survey undertaken by the Council earlier in the year on the York Central development have been published.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Around 1224 responses were received to a survey which was criticised at the time for lack of clarity on project costs and the absence of demand information. 

Many respondents said they couldn’t answer the questions although some pressure groups did use the survey to make points about access arrangements, green infrastructure and the future of the Railway Institute building.

The Council has already published a Draft Local Plan which would see 1500 homes built on the site. Potentially that would leave space for 80,000 sqm of office accommodation.

A draft planning document for the site is expected to be published in November.

Separately a Council report says that York taxpayer’s liability for the project may be less than the £10 million budgeted. They expect the Leeds City Region to stump up £2.55m of this sum as a “loan” although it is still far from clear what the final cost will be to taxpayers.

The Council has so far spent £1.3 million on the project. To that will be added the costs of buying land to facilitate development.

Further details will be published in November.

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Below are the latest planning applications 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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Acomb Jewellers 10 Acomb Court Front Street York YO24 3BJ

Change of Use of first floor from shop (use class A1) to dwelling (use class C3) and alterations to form new entrance to flat

Ref. No: 16/01497/FUL 

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67 Queenswood Grove York YO24 4PN

Erection of single storey extension extending 4.00 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.40 metres and a total height of 3.55 metres 

Ref. No: 16/01506/LHE 

—–

28 Kingsthorpe York YO24 4PR

Two storey side extension, single storey side and rear extensions and detached garage with garden room to rear 

Ref. No: 16/01499/FUL 

——

36 Queenswood Grove York YO24 4PP

Alterations to roof of existing two storey side extension to form a gable, including removal of existing side dormer 

Ref. No: 16/01390/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

Other planning applications

The planning committee taking place on 14th July will consider

  • Askham Bryan – The college is seeking permission to erect an additional 7 animal shelters. Details can be found by clicking here
  • Poppleton Garden Centre – The centre is seeking permission to use part of its car park for car washing facilities. The application is recommended for refusal although the Council designated the area as a commercial development site as recently as last week! Details here

Other applications being considered by the Committee include:

Construction of two all-weather tennis courts and an all-weather multi-use sports court with associated perimeter fencing and 10 no. 8 m floodlight columns. [Site Visit] [Huntington/New Earswick Ward]

Construction of two all-weather tennis courts and an all-weather multi-use sports court with associated perimeter fencing and 10 no. 8 m floodlight columns.  [Huntington/New Earswick Ward]

Erection of 129 Extra Care Apartments (Class C3B) and 44 Care Suites (Class C2) and play area following demolition of Red Lodge, former library and tennis clubhouse buildings, external alterations to Folk Hall, construction of multi-use games area on recreation ground. [Huntington/New Earswick Ward]

Internal and external alterations including installation of lift and alterations to entrances and ramps.   [Huntington/New Earswick]

Erection of four seasonal tents utilising existing access, the creation and maintaining of a footpath link, and the incorporation of a habitat enhancement plan  [WheldrakeWard]

 

New figures reveal 1.2% increase in York population last year


Figures released this week by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reveal that York’s population rose from 204,439 to 206,856 between mid 2014 and mid 2015.

This represented an increase of 2417 persons (1.2%)

Most of the increase was due to younger people, aged between 18 and 3, moving into the City. They accounted for 1431 of the total.  This is unsurprising given the expansion in higher education that there has been in the City in recent years.

More significant may be the make-up of any change.

High growth predictions for the City have so far been based on a widening gap between the number of births and deaths in the City. Although that trend continues, the gap between the two has narrowed (1993 births against 1848 deaths last year).

UK population changeAs the graph (left) shows this new trend towards lower birth rates is also reflected elsewhere in the UK. 

There were 637 (net) migrants arriving in York from other parts of the UK.  

The biggest growth component were migrants from other parts of the world (1,643 net). Many of these were students.

In some towns, including Harrogate and Scarborough, the population actually reduced last year  

It would be wrong to read too much into a single year’s figures. But, with the additional uncertainties about the country’s capacity for economic growth in the wake of the EU referendum result, the York Council might be wise to take a more cautious view about expansion than is currently displayed in its draft Local Plan.

The figures do however confirm that – with unemployment levels at an historic low in York – higher economic growth can only be achieved if many of the new jobs are taken up by migrate workers

Population growth in York

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Below are the latest planning applications 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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20 Cornlands Road York YO24 3DU

Proposal              Erection of one dwelling

Reference           16/01212/FUL

——-

2 Meeting House Lane Acomb York YO26 5FD

Single storey front and side extension

Ref. No: 16/01391/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 set to grow by 21% in size

Anyone currently planning to vote on the EU referendum on the basis that they may get more influence over their local community should Thier City or Our Citythink again. The report on the latest version of York’s Local Plan makes it clear that any population growth forecasts (including migration numbers) must be in line with government thinking. Councils cannot opt for lower figures – justified by more realistic economic development assumptions – without risking having a Whitehall written plan imposed on them.

The result is that the York Council has published a Local Plan which seeks to build an additional 842 homes in the City each year.

Most of these will go to the economic migrants who will be needed to fill the extra 15,000 new jobs (net 13,000) that the Council says will be created in the period up to 2032.  Most of these new jobs will be in professional & scientific sector (+2945) although high growth is also forecast for

  • retail (+2412),
  • administration (+1933),
  • tourism (+1847)
  • Construction (1353) &
  • Social care (+1212).

Declining industries are identified as

  • Manufacturing (-1231)
  • Public admin and defence (-587) &
  • Finance & Insurance (– 448)

The Council concludes that it needs to provide an additional 16,820 homes in the period between 1st April 2012 and 31st March 2032 (842pa). That is similar in total to the figures included in the 2014 draft when 14,816 were to be built in the period up to 2030. It is higher than the figure suggested a year ago (750).

Significantly it is also more than double the 400 a year average actually built since 2011.

So what has changed?

Then LibDem Euro MP Edward McMillan Scott with Westfield residents opposing the development of Acomb Moor in 2013. The site is scheduled to continue ion the Green Belt under plans published this week

Then LibDem Euro MP Edward McMillan Scott with Westfield residents opposing the development of Acomb Moor in 2013. The site is scheduled to continue in the Green Belt under plans published this week

The latest proposals represent an improvement on all the draft plans published since February 2011. The 2011 Plan – originated by the then Liberal Democrat controlled Council – did not involve any building on the Green Belt. In total, space for 12,075 dwellings was identified at that time.

An updated critique of Labours “Big City” approach was published 3 years ago. 

The new Plan substantially reduces (but does not eliminate) the need to build on land which has traditionally been regarded as Green Belt (and is currently protected as such). Over 407 hectares of green space will be lost under the new proposals. That compares to the Plan published in 2014 by Labour, which would have seen 911 hectares of Green Belt lost.

The new Plan (rightly) re-inserts an allowance for “windfall sites” with an assumption that around 150 of these small brownfield sites will become available each year. This is substantially less than have arisen over recent years and is therefore a very cautious estimate.

After taking into account existing outstanding planning permissions – and the number of homes built since the start of the plan period in 2012 – the Council believes it needed to identify sites for 8277 homes.

 In addition, it plans to earmark land to build a further 2540 homes between 2032 and 2037.

We will look in more detail later at the effect that this policy has had on individual sites.  However, there is some very mixed news with, on the one hand, sites like Acomb Moor freed from the menace of development, while a new threat has emerged which could lead to building on the football pitches and amenity land at Lowfields school.

Football gala at Lowfields playing fields. The latest plan threaten to build on the green spaces in the area.

Football gala at Lowfields playing fields. The latest Plan threatens to build on the football pitches in the area.

Of the 11 larger sites identified for development, seven currently fall in the Green Belt. These include:

  • The Civil Service Sports ground on Boroughbridge Road (292 dwellings),
  • Derwenthorpe Two (845),
  • Huntington Monks Cross (968) &
  • Haxby north (735).

In addition, two new communities are planned.

One is located off Wigginton Road between the City and Skelton (1348) while the other is at Whinthorpe, south of the University near Elvington (3339).  The Council papers make no mention of the impact such “villages” – and nearby large employment sites – might have on an already creaking infrastructure.

Some of the smaller housing developments and most of the employment sites are also located in the Green Belt.

Some will feel that the Council should have repudiated the Tory Governments high growth strategy a year of more ago. It may be too late to do so now.

For convenience the changes to land use are summarised below. Detailed maps can be found by clicking here

Green belt building plans

Green Belt building plans

Non strategic housing site

Non strategic housing site

Sites saved from development

Sites saved from development

Employment land allocations

Employment land allocations

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Below are the latest planning applications 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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58 St Stephens Road York YO24 3EF

Proposal              Two storey side and single storey front extensions

Reference           16/01228/FUL

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2 Bramham Avenue York YO26 5BE

Two storey side extension following demolition of existing side extension

Ref. No: 16/01301/FUL 

—-

133 Cornlands Road York YO24 3ED

Single storey front and side extensions, first floor rear extension and dormer to rear (resubmission)

Ref. No: 16/01260/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