York Council says good progress being made on the modernisation and extension of Lincoln Court
“City of York Council is celebrating a milestone with contractor Sewell Construction to mark the start of the final phase of the £1.9 million improvement and extension of its popular Lincoln Court Independent Living Scheme.
Lincoln Court expansion plans 2018
The accommodation is being extended from 26 accommodation units to 35 high quality apartments. Much-improved communal facilities and low-energy measures are being added too, with a view to the scheme reopening this summer.
This is the council’s first independent living scheme extension to be developed specifically to meet the needs of wheelchair users. With a better location identified for the energy efficient heating system for the apartments, tenants will also benefit from new double glazed windows and from photovoltaic cells on the roof which will reduce communal utility costs.
Disabled centre in foreground. Lincoln Court to rear
A larger, brighter and more central communal lounge area will bring together residents of the new and existing elements of the building. An extra meeting room and additional office space will enable the scheme to be used as a hub for more services to be provided in the local community. The addition of a guest suite for visiting family and friends of residents will help maintain family links.
Listening to feedback from former tenants, we broadened the extension project to include the full refurbishment and re-roofing of the existing properties. In addition, they told us they would prefer that the existing flats are modernised with new heating systems, rewiring, new kitchens and bathrooms at the same time as the construction to avoid further disruption. This is underway”.
In a report last week (above) the Council also claimed that the new Centre of Excellence for Disable Young People, which will occupy the site next to Lincoln Court on Ascot Way, would be “completed in May 2020” .
In some cases the “ponding” results from blocked or damaged drainage gullies.
Damaged gully cover
In others, the carriageway has sunk and more extensive repairs may be necessary.
The Council has allocated over £3.5 million for repairs to drainage channels over the next few years. . A Council report published last week said, “It is calculated that more than £8m of investment will be needed over 12 years to address all defective assets on a priority/needs based approach, and the funding included is based on two additional works gangs and materials”
It is not just gullies that are waterlogged.
Off street paths need hardcore to prevent flooding
Several off road paths – including those linking Acomb Wood, Acomb Moor and the Westfield Park off Grange Lane – are obstructed.
The local ward committee has a delegated budget which is available to address problems with cycle and pedestrian routes. We think it should use some of it to ensure that these paths remain usable in wet weather.
Whatever the issue, residents are strongly recommended to report problems to the Council. The sooner work gets into the forward programme the sooner issues will be resolved.https://www.york.gov.uk/reportproblems
Residents living in the Lowfields area have taken to Facebook to express their disappointment about the lack of information being provided on the nearby school site development.
They have seen a Council newsletter which tells them what the names will be of the new streets which are currently being constructed. The Council credits/blames pupils at a local school for the choice of Rosemary Road, Moss Bank Court etc.
The newsletter also claims that the first occupants will move in before the end of the year,.
This may be true, but residents main concern is lack of information about the lack of activity on other parts of the site.
The Facebook critics say
“no new information about when building work on the whole site will be concluded. Residents were told that plant would be off the site within 3 years.
It now looks like building work will continue for over 5 years.
We understand that the “Yorspace” communal housing scheme funding appeal topped out at just over £400,000. It remains to be seen whether this will be sufficient to allow the scheme to actually get built.
The self build plots are apparently still “on offer” while there have been no takers from developers wanting to provide a care home (on the large reserved plot on the Green Lane side of the site).
Council newsletter Feb 2020
The location reserved for a “police station” is likely to remain empty indefinitely (there will be no police station) while there has been no progress on designing the “new health centre” which was promised for another part of the site.
No progress has been made in providing off site additional car parking spaces on Dijon Avenue.
It is really shameful that the Council should circulate a cheap leaflet like this without even attempting to address the major areas of local concern to local residents”.
WE think that residents have a point. They have been treated very badly by the York Council and deserve more respect and regular updates.
No one should have to live next to a building site for 5 years or more, simply because a local authority failed to get its act together
Car parking sign at Foxwood Lane bus shelter has disappearedWe’ve reported detritus build up on the highway in Osprey Close. The footpath link to Acomb Moor is now just about passable now although we’ve asked for some hardcore to be put down. Definitely “Wellingtons” needed if you plan to use the footpath link to Acomb Moor. This can be improved when the right of way is formally recognised. Ward Councillors have promised to follow this up Not sure that this advertising signs are authorised
