Labour still planning population growth of 40,000 in York over next 15 years.

5000 homes lopped from Local Plan following unprecedented number of objections

Labour have revealed a “new” Local Plan which commits them to building around 1000 home s per year on average during the next 15 years.

A higher rate is planned of the next 6 years

This means that the size of the City will increase by over 20% during the period up to 2030.

Green Belt campaign logo

Net internal population growth (births minus deaths) is around 1000 a year on average

With home occupancy at over 2 persons per dwelling, this generates a demand for around 500 additional homes each year.

The others will be occupied by inward migrants.

The Council statement says,

“In order to continue maximising the delivery of housing, new targets have been proposed in the plan to a minimum of 996 homes per annum over the Local Plan period. For the first six years sufficient land will be earmarked to build 1,170 homes per annum, delivering 16,980 over the life time of the plan, to accommodate a population growth of around 40,000 people over the next 15-years

The previous target was 1090 – 1250 new and affordable homes per year up to 2030. Amendments to the portfolio of sites reflect up to date evidence base work. Approach to density is National Planning Policy framework (NPPF) compliant”.

http://tinyurl.com/LPYork22

Crunch Green Belt meeting put back

Green Belt campaign logo The Council meeting – which was to have publicly discussed for the first time Labours plans to build in the York Green Belt – has been put back from the 18th September to Monday 22nd September.

The decision has not been publicised and is obviously designed to ensure that only minimum notice is given to residents about the revised plans.

Labour hope that this will frustrate opponents of their original plan which would have seen the size of the City increase by 25% over the next 15 years.

Now it appears that the new plans won’t be made available to the public before 15th September.

The proposals will then be rushed through a – Labour controlled – Cabinet meeting on 25th September.

 

 

 

Latest Planning applications Acomb and Westfield Wards

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Acomb and Westfield wards.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

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Acomb

Location:       32 Cranbrook Road York YO26 5JA

Proposal:       Single storey rear extension

Ref No: 14/01352/FUL

Consultation Expiry Date:       16 September 2014 Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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Location:       34 Melwood Grove York YO26 5RF

Proposal:       First floor rear extension with dormer to rear

Ref No: 14/01725/FUL

Consultation Expiry Date:       16 September 2014 Case Officer:   David Johnson   Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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Location:       186 Beckfield Lane York YO26 5QS

Proposal:       Two storey side extension and single storey rear extension

Ref No: 14/01914/FUL

Consultation Expiry Date:       16 September 2014 Case Officer:   David Johnson   Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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Location:       23 The Green Acomb York YO26 5LL

Proposal:       Various tree works including Fell Sycamore (T8) and Beech (T10), Trees in the Conservation Area

Ref No: 14/01992/TCA

Contact:        Mr Howard Gill  Consultation Expiry Date:       16 September 2014 Case Officer:   Esther Priestley        Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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 Westfield

None

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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/

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

York Green Belt showdown meeting date set for 18th September

The meeting to discuss possible changes to Labours highly controversial  Local Plan proposals will take place on Thursday 18th September at 5.30pm at West Offices.

View of Minster from Acomb Moor click to enlarge

View of Minster from Acomb Moor click to enlarge

This will be the first opportunity that residents will have to personally confront the Labour Councillors who are responsible for the plan which could see 22,000 additional homes built  in the City – mostly on land currently defined as “Green Belt”

The Labour plan would see the city increase in size by 25% over the next 15 years with potentially dramatic effects on transport, health, education and other public services in the City.

The papers for the meeting will be published on 10th September on the Councils web site.

Any approved changes – and there will have to be some as new brownfield sites for over 1600 homes have been identified since the draft plan was published in April 2013 – will apparently be reported to a “Cabinet” meeting on 25th September.

Given that there were over 15,000 objections to the Councils plan, giving residents only  8 days to read and analyse the official response is insulting to residents.

Amongst the original plans were proposals to build on Acomb Moor (opposite Foresters Walk) and land opposite Woodthorpe/Acomb Park on Moor Lane.

Green Belt campaign logo

Proposals to build a “Showman’s Yard” on land between Wetherby Road and Knapton were subsequently withdrawn by the land owners, although the Councils enthusiasm for the scheme means that the Green Belt designation of the site is still under threat.

Labour are hoping to rush their plans through before they lose power in next years local Council elections. However a protracted  Public Inquiry (Examination in Public) now seems inevitable.

Residents who wish to speak at either of the meetings (18th and/or 25th) must register to do so at least a day before the meeting.

St Leonards Place

The media are reporting that the old Council offices in St Leonards Place may be restored for use as residential accommodation.

Ironically, if true, that would mean that the preferred use identified when the buildings were sold in 2007 would be implemented.

Labour views in 2012 click

Labour views in 2012 click

In the interim, there have been several options considered for the buildings but the impact of the recession prevented any progress.

For a time it seemed that a shared residential and hotel use would be the likely way forward but in 2012 the new Labour Council welcomed plans for what was described as a “prestige hotel”.

Labour Councillors were effusive in the Press when acclaiming the plan.

As we commented at the time, proposals to move the bus stops from outside the hotel seemed to be less than well thought through.

But the original idea to reintroduce residential accommodation into the area was right. The York Conservation Trust were one of the bidders for the property but lost out when the tenders were opened.  They had ambitious – but costly – plans to restore the properties.

The Council did well to sell the buildings at the peak of the pre recession property boom. The receipt helped to fund the move to a consolidated HQ in vacant buildings at West Offices.

The provision of residential accommodation in the Listed St Leonards Place buildings would be a bonus for the City.

There is a serious question to be answered about the change.

There are several sites earmarked for hotel developments in the City. Already a site on Holgate Road has been abandoned while the former Haymarket car park – sold off partly for hotel use at the low point in the recession by a less than erudite Council Leadership – is also stalled.

The Council needs to be realistic and focus its support on those hotel sites which are both commercially viable and which can contribute sustainable jobs to the local economy.

In that respect the key site must be that next to the Barbican which could help to sustain the important conference trade in the City.

Latest Planning applications Acomb and Westfield Wards

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Acomb and Westfield wards.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

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Acomb

Location:       8 Sitwell Grove York YO26 5JG

Proposal:       Erection of single storey extension extending 6 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.6 metres and a total height of 3.6 metres

Ref No: 14/01629/LHE

Consultation Expiry Date:       19 August 2014  Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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Location:       31 Almsford Drive York YO26 5NR

Proposal:       Replacement garage

Ref No: 14/01652/FUL

Contact:        Mr Peter Dobson Consultation Expiry Date:       18 August 2014 Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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Location:       25 Tostig Avenue York YO26 5QD

Proposal:       Single storey side and rear extension

Ref No: 14/01649/FUL

Consultation Expiry Date:       18 August 2014 Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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 Westfield

Location:       35 Ashbourne Way York YO24 2SW

Proposal:       Reduce branches back to boundary from 21 Spindle Close. Oak (T73),protected by Tree Preservation Order No 26

Ref No: 14/01892/TPO

Applicant:           Contact Mr Sham Bose   Consultation Expiry Date        1 September 2014 Case Officer:   Esther Priestley        Expected Decision Level  DEL

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Location  107 Bellhouse Way York YO24 3LW

Proposal  Erection of detached dwelling to side of 107 Bellhouse Way

Reference  14/01677/FUL

Applicant:      Miss Carolyn Rennie     Contact Kevin Bristowe  Consultation Expiry Date        25 August 2014 Case Officer:   Clare Davies    Expected Decision Level DEL

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Location:       12 Hawkshead Close York YO24 2YF

Proposal:       Crown thin by 20%,Crown lift to 2.5m, reduce height to 5m and spread to 6m, Tree protected by Tree Preservation Order CYC238

Ref No: 14/01726/TPO

Applicant:      Mr Robert Pocock    Consultation Expiry Date        18 August 2014 Case Officer:   Esther Priestley        Expected Decision Level DEL

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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/

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

Improved path through Acomb Wood set to be approved tomorrow

click for plan

click for plan

The Councils Planning Committee is set to approve improvements to the footpath which runs through Acomb Wood when it meets tomorrow (Thursday).

 A planning  application seeks permission to form a new pedestrian footpath through Acomb Wood to link Ashbourne Way and The Quaker Wood PH entrance and to extend the existing path from the Given Close entrance to Lomond Ginnel.

The footpath would be formed of a geotextile membrane which will be laid on top of the existing ground level. Up to 150mm of porous crushed recycled building material will be laid on top and held in place by timber edging. The edging will be held in place by metal or wooden stakes. The surrounding ground level would be re-profiled to the timber edging to prevent a trip hazard.

4.11 At present, whilst the path is established, it is very damp and muddy under foot. The area is extensively used as a cut through and by dog walkers. The raising of the path and the formation of a hard surface would enable the route to be more accessible and easier to negotiate when the weather is inclement.

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Chaloners Road development

The demolition of the Council garages on Chaloners Road is also recommended for approval at the same meeting.

 The proposal seeks to demolish the garages and erect a residential development containing 2 no. two bed houses and 6 no. 2 bed apartments.

The application is made by Housing Services and the apartments would all be for social rent (although Housing Services do not know if they will form part of the downsizing provision for the over 55s as yet). 6 no. car parking spaces would be provided.

Amenity space would be provided to the rear; including gardens for the houses and shared amenity space for the apartments.

The sub station would be relocated to the front (south west) corner of the site.

Latest Planning applications Acomb and Westfield Wards

Newbury Avenue flats proposals open for objections

Newbury Avenue garage block where Labour plan to builds flats

Newbury Avenue garage block where Labour plan to builds flats

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Acomb and Westfield wards.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

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Acomb

Location:       82 Carr Lane York YO26 5HY

Proposal:       Erection of porch to front

Ref No: 14/01571/FUL

Consultation Expiry Date:       11 August 2014 Case Officer:   Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level:        DEL

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 Westfield

Location:       G1 Newbury Avenue York

Proposal:       Erection of 9no. apartments with associated parking and landscaping following demolition of garages

Ref No: 14/01517/GRG3

Applicant:      City Of York Council    Contact Mrs Helen C Humphrey    Consultation Expiry Date        11 August 2014Case Officer:   Clare Davies    Expected Decision Level DEL

A copy of our objection to this development can be downloaded by clicking here

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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/

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