Schools overcrowding crisis looms if York expansion gets go ahead

The York Council has admitted that it will need to find school places for at least an additional 800 primary age children by 2016.

These are children who will move to the City to occupy houses built on (mainly) green field sites around the City.

The number is in addition to a forecast increase of 1359 primary pupils resulting from natural changes to birth rates and new developments already scheduled to take place.

The number of primary school pupils stands at 12513. This will increase to over 14,000 by September 2016.

The Council says that it has identified between 13 and 15 schools which will need to be expanded, with “one or two” additional schools being built.

The Council accepts that most of the expansion – the costs and source of funding for which are not yet known – will be built on existing playgrounds and playing fields.

With “lead in” times for new school buildings in excess of 2 years, it is likely that the City will see greater use being made of temporary classrooms over the next few years.

The revelations come at a time when the Council is starting to consult on proposals to include still more – mainly green field – land in its development plans..

The draft Local Plan published by the Labour led Council 12 months ago proposed that the City should increase in size by 22,000 homes (25%).

Following the highest number of objections ever received for a city-wide consultation in York, theCouncil is moving closer to adopting a Local Plan for the city. The new proposals change some of the sites and add in others.
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Latest Planning applications Acomb and Westfield Wards

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Westfield Ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

Acomb

Location: 11 Norman Drive York YO26 5QU

Proposal: First floor extension to side

Ref No: 14/01129/FUL

Contact: Mr Andy Sykes Consultation Expiry Date: 17 June 2014 Case Officer: Will Steel Expected Decision Level: DEL

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Westfield

Location: 2 Eaton Court York YO24 3NJ

Proposal: Two storey side extension

Ref No: 14/01173/FUL

Applicant: Mr Michael Collins Consultation Expiry Date 17 June 2014 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth 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.

Concern about Hob Moor development

After only a few days work on site, residents are already raising concerns about the timing and scale of work being undertaken on the development at the former Our Lady’s school site.

Most concerns related to the removal of mature trees during the nesting season. It appears though that the trees removed so far are in line with the permission granted by the Planning Committee for the scheme, although confirmation of that – and any impact on bats which are known to roost in the area – is awaited.

Some work was apparently taking place on Saturday afternoon. Working hours were restricted by the planning permission.

Another issue raised was the width of the access road from Windsor Garth which is currently narrower than is normally required for access to new developments (5 metres).

Former Council Leader Andrew Waller has written to senior officials at the York Council raising concerns.

The former school buildings are due to be demolished over the next few weeks.

Hob Moor – development work starts on Our Lady’s school site

Our Lady’s school site clearance started

Builders have moved onto the Our Lady’s school site and have started to fell trees.

The Our Lady’s school buildings will be demolished within the next 3 weeks.

School to be demolished in a few days time

Work has already started to provide an electricity power supply to the new housing development.

The whole scheme, which involves the erection of 55 new homes, is expected to take about 12 months to complete.

The building contractors have said that all site traffic will follow the Kingsway West/Ascot Way/ Ashford Place/Windsor Garth bus route to access the site.

Crumbling road surfaces on Windsor Garth

Residents remain concerned about the poor state of the roads on the route, and in particular the rapidly deteriorating road humps, although whether it would be worth completing permanent repairs before the heavy traffic moves on, is open to question.

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

Acomb

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Location: Lidgett House 27 Lidgett Grove York YO26 5NE

Proposal: Erection of 1no. detached dwelling

Ref No: 14/00990/OUT

Contact: Mr John Dougal Consultation Expiry Date: 9 June 2014 Case Officer: Clare Davies Expected Decision Level: DEL

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Location: Inhouse Design And Build Centre Ltd 136 Boroughbridge Road York YO26 6AL

Proposal: Change of use of ground floor to mixed use A1 (retail), A2 (financial and professional services) and B1a (offices) use class, retrospective creation of additional office to first floor and retrospective erection of conservatory to rear (resubmission)

Ref No: 14/01076/FUL

Consultation Expiry Date: 9 June 2014 Case Officer: Erik Matthews Expected Decision Level: DEL

Westfield

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Location: 118 Wetherby Road Acomb York YO26 5BY

Proposal: Single storey extension to front

Ref No: 14/01021/FUL

Applicant: Mr J Buckland Contact Mr Jake Clay Consultation Expiry Date 9 June 2014Case Officer: Will Steel Expected Decision Level DEL

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Location: 82 Wetherby Road Acomb York YO26 5BY

Proposal: Single storey extension to side and rear

Ref No: 14/01108/FUL

Applicant: Mr Will Swords Contact Mr John Dougal Consultation Expiry Date 9 June 2014Case Officer: Will Steel Expected Decision Level DEL

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Location: 33 Otterwood Lane York YO24 3JP

Proposal: Single storey front and rear extension and pitched roof to existing extensions

Ref No: 14/01121/FUL

Applicant: Mr And Mrs C Mollan Contact Mr R Room Consultation Expiry Date 9 June 2014 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth 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.

York Local Plan – new housing figures raise more questions

New figures provided by the York Council cast further doubts on the soundness of the Labour Local Plan for the City.

The Council recently revealed a new raft of sites which it is considering for housing development. Following an intervention from LibDem Councillors the Labour Leadership was forced to agree to publish the numbers of homes that it hopes to fit on each site.

That may come as little comfort to residents.

Estimates of the capacity of some sites included in the original Plan – published 12 months ago – proved to be very wide of the mark with sites like Our Lady’s in Windsor Garth slated to accommodate 60% more homes than allocated in the original plan.

Now the Council has been asked to respond to criticisms that it failed to identify nearly 1000 sites for homes which were subsequently granted planning permission between 1^st October 2012 (the original plan base date) and 1^st April 2014.

1793 additional homes were given the “go ahead” by the Planning Committee during that 19 month period.

As previously reported, 959 of these were on (mainly brownfield) sites of over 0.2 htr which should have been separately identified in the draft Plan …….but weren’t.

Permission for 144 homes was given through the conversion of existing commercial buildings like Hilary House.

Stonebow House missing

There is no mention in the Councils plans for buildings like Stonebow House or the Ryedale House building in Piccadilly.

Objectors fundament criticism remains that Labour’s plans for 22,000 additional homes is not only unnecessary (there are only 2000 people on the housing waiting list in the City) but they are also unsustainable.

Expanding the City in size by 25% in just 15 years would have disastrous consequences for local infrastructure.

Transport systems would simply be unable to cope

NB. The high levels of planning permissions granted in recent months is the equivalent of a supply of over 1100 homes per annum.

That is markedly higher than the 575 agreed by the then LibDem led Council as necessary in its March 2011 Local Plan.

Latest Planning applications Westfield Ward

Our Lady’s school site latest

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Westfield Ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

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Westfield

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Location: 16 Ashford Place York YO24 4QU

Proposal: Erection of single storey extension extending 3.55 metres beyond the rear wall of the original house, with a height to the eaves of 2.1 metres and a total height of 2.5 metres

Ref No: 14/01035/LHE

Applicant: Mr Guler Contact Mr Jeff Carrington Consultation Expiry Date 27 May 2014 Case Officer: Carolyn Howarth Expected Decision Level DEL

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Our Lady’s school site Windsor Garth

Details of the Section 106 agreement for the development of the site have now been published.

They reveal that of the 55 properties to be built on the site, 20 will be for social rent (housing association) while 21 will be at an “affordable” rent (usually 80% of the market rent).

click for more information

The agreement allows the developer to pay a commuted sum to the Council instead of providing – through a social landlord – the rented accommodation on site.

The landlord is obliged to offer a free bus pass or free bicycle to the first occupier of the dwelling. Each property will have an external power socket to allow the recharging of electric vehicles.

The agreement also specifies the working hours for the site but is vague about access routes and – critically – to what extent plant will be allowed to move around Hob Moor itself.

Liberal Democrats force housing U-Turn in York

Public consultation papers on controversial development plans will include housing numbers after Liberal Democrat councillors forced a dramatic U-Turn tonight.

Labour run York Council’s ‘Draft Local Plan’ outlines proposals to build 22,000 houses on sites across York. Last month the Labour Cabinet approved a report for public consultation which earmarked further sites and recommended boundary changes on some sites identified last year.

However, the consultation papers excluded housing numbers for the new and amended sites. Liberal Democrat councillors Nigel Ayre, Ann Reid and Carol Runciman ‘called-in’ the decision for further review and at tonight’s CSMC (Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee) meeting the cross-party committee voted to include the housing numbers.

Cllr Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Planning, said at the meeting:

“The principle of consultation should be that residents are given as much information as possible about the proposals being put forward. We believe that housing numbers are central to this consultation and should be published. Whether one of these sites is for 20 or 200 houses will make a huge difference to how residents view it.”

Speaking after the meeting Cllr Reid commented:

“I am pleased that common sense has prevailed and residents will now be able to see the housing numbers proposed for each site. The Labour Cabinet should never have tried to hide the housing numbers from residents in the first place. Labour’s argument that including the numbers ties the hands of developers was nonsense, especially as housing numbers were published for sites in last year’s consultation.”

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Plans for new town “wholly inappropriate” say housebuilders

Plans for a new settlement south of York have received a major blow after housebuilders and planning experts said the scheme was “wholly inappropriate” and the location was “unsustainable”.

The ‘Whinthorpe’ development is planned for Green Belt land at Holme Hill, alongside the A64 to the south of Heslington. The original proposals had space for 5,500 houses – making the planned settlement bigger than Easingwold or Dunnington. However, housebuilders such as the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust and Linden Homes along with expert planning consultants have criticised the proposals in consultation papers recently published by Labour run York Council.

The consultation responses include:

Consultants for the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust said “We consider that the site is wholly inappropriate for development in landscape and green belt terms. Indeed, in our view, it is impossible to identify a site or area in the countryside surrounding York where development would have a worse impact on the character or setting of the historic city”.
The same consultants raised concerns over the lack of local infrastructure and said that pressure on schools meant there was the danger that “small children will need to be decanted to distant schools”.
ID Planning said the site was in “an unsustainable location” and could become a commuter town for Leeds which “would not be assisting in the economic growth of the city (York)”. They said there was “no evidence this site has been tested or is viable” and that public transport options were “unknown”.
Henry Boot Developments said “the assumed build out rates are simply too high and are unsustainable/undeliverable”.

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York University set to expand

Key planning decision expected this week

The Council s planning committee will be asked to approve this week plans which would see a big increase in the number of jobs on the University of York campus at Heslington.

One application would see the existing Vanbrugh College (Block D) replaced with a 4 storey research, office and teaching block for the Environment Department. The University says the development will create an additional 66 full time jobs.

Some concerns have been expressed about the loss of student accommodation although a new residential block is due to be opened later in the year. The application is recommended for approval.

click to enlarge

The Planning committee will also consider the details of the three storey education, social and catering building (Piazza Learning Centre) which will be located between Field Lane/A64 and the Hull Road.

The proposals would provide teaching accommodation (including a 350-seat lecture theatre), library, study areas, 200-seat restaurant and social space. The building footprint would be 2450sqm and total floor space would be 6238sqm

The meeting on Thursday will also consider plans to establish a petrol filling station, restaurant and 50 bed hotel near the Hopgrove Roundabout. The application – which is in the Green Belt – is recommended for refusal by officials

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