Foxwood Coop gets £560,000 makeover

Will be closed for 6 days

The Co-op shop, on Beagle Ridge Drive, in Foxwood, will close on February 14th and reopen on February 20th following the refurbishment.

The Co-op on Beagle Ridge Drive in York. Picture: Google Maps
Foxwood Co-op

The new-look store, which runs on 100 per cent renewable electricity, will boast self-service tills, an improved in-store bakery, Costa Coffee point, National Lottery and PayPoint services, alongside a focus on fresh, healthy foods, meal ideas, food-to-go, wines, essentials and Co-op’s new exclusive plant-based range, GRO.

It will also bring a funding boost for local good causes through the Co-op’s membership scheme. Members receive a five per cent reward when they swipe their card when buying own-branded products, and the Co-op donates a further one per cent to local good causes.

Te Foxwood Residents Association has benefited in the past from a grant from the store.

Acomb Library gets new roof

Work is well underway in re-roofing Acomb Explore Library.

The Library is due to get a further makeover and extension in 2021 as part of the Councils modernisation programme.

Nearby the first of the new houses on the Acomb Bowling Green site on Front Street are nearing completion.

Hopefully completion of the development will allow for a more comprehensive plan for the use of the remaining land to be considered.

The land was purchased by the Council to facilitate an extension to the library in 2009. However successive Council leaders have chosen to allow the area to become increasingly derelict during the intervening period.

Number 12 bus service link to Bellhouse Way will continue “until the beginning of April”

It looks like a worrying 3 months for users of the number 12 (and 3a) bus service with the Council set to continue to agonise about their future.

A “behind closed doors” decision was taken to extend the current temporary contract. The report does, however, say that the cost of continuing to provide the services exceeds the available budget so a difficult decision may be faced in April.

The indecision about continuing the service comes at a time when the Council is being urged to subsidise more bus services in an attempt to counter the “climate emergency”.

If established services like these are under threat, then there is little hope that more funding will be found to provide more frequent services and fill in other gaps in the network.

“Deep clean” requested on key snickets

Many short cut “snickets” get a lot of use. They are vulnerable to litter while large amounts of leaf and other detritus can accumulate. Some are obstructed by overgrown hedges and trees. The surfaces can wear quite quickly because of constant footfall. Many seem to be neglected by the Council although they are an essential part of the  plan to encourage more people to walk for short journeys. They deserve a higher priority for the Councils resources. 

Potholes on carriageway are also a disincentive for cyclists. We’ve reported continuing problems and Gale Lane and Foxwood Lane today

Work is progressing on two major building projects in west York. The centre for the disabled on Ascot Way is now getting its roof installed. Modernisation work, on the adjacent Lincoln Court sheltered accommodation, is taking place at the same time.

Disabled centre on Ascot Way. Single lane traffic working now in place.

Work has also started on constructing houses on the controversial Lowfield development. A decision on how the section of the site reserved for elderly persons housing will be developed is expected next month. 

Lowfield development
Finally another example of a self seeded tree which has been allowed to grow to the point where it is pushing over the railings which protect a water pumping station (Foxwood Lane). There is plenty of room a few metres away on which trees could be planted which would cause no problems for anyone

Newbury Avenue bungalows set to get first tenants

The Council has provided an electric vehicle recharging point  in the car park of the new bungalows which are reached completion in Newbury Avenue.

The bungalows look very smart, albeit completion of the work is behind schedule. The original decision to knock down the garages which were on the site was controversial because the York Council failed to address the chronic lack of off street parking lay-bys in the estate. The parking problem has continued to grow

Electric charging points are set to become a standard feature of new homes in the City.

The Council will consider shortly a report which looks at how electric vehicle charging point availability can be improved across the whole City.

Amongst the issues considered are the difficulties for electric car owners who live in terraced streets with no off street space available.

One suggesting might see charging points added to street lighting columns – although the costs of implementing such a programme would be huge.

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 application reference

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65 Bellhouse Way York YO24 3LL

Erection of 1.8m high boundary wall with timber panelling to front and side elevations

Ref. No: 20/00105/FUL 

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40 The Green Acomb York YO26 5LR

Single storey rear extension

Ref. No: 20/00067/FUL 

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Gale Farm Court. Plan to convert flat into office

29 Gale Farm Court York YO24 3DR

Change of use of ground floor flat (sheltered accommodation) to office (use class B1), installation of external ramp and modification to existing boundary wall and railings

Ref. No: 20/00033/FUL

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7 Hawkshead Close York YO24 2YF

Fell Silver Birch protected by Tree Preservation Order no. CYC398

Ref. No: 19/02765/TPO 

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Acomb Sports And Social Club The Green Acomb York YO26 5FG

Erection of single storey recreational building with associated external works and car parking

Ref. No: 19/02690/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

Foxwood dog owner handed three control orders following multiple dog attacks

A local dog owner who failed to control his three dogs has been given multiple control orders following several attacks by his pets on other dogs in the area

Ben Cairns (aged 32 of Foxwood Lane, York) owns three American Pocket Bullies, a cross breed between an American Staffordshire Terrier and an American Pit Bull Terrier, and appeared at York Magistrates on 15 January 2020.

On four occasions during 2019, Mr Cairn’s dogs escaped from his control in the area where he lives, and attacked three small cross breeds and a Labrador cross which needed veterinary treatment. The owners suffered considerable distress too.

All the control orders have the same conditions. These include ensuring that each dog is kept under proper control at all times; securing the property and boundary where they are kept to prevent them from escaping; wearing a muzzle and collar identifying the name and address of the owner; and keeping each dog on a fixed-length lead at all time when in a public place.

While Mr Cairns has since re-homed one of his dogs, he is still its owner and will remain responsible for ensuring that the current keepers abide by the control order. Any breaches of the order will be Mr Cairns’ responsibility and could result in a £1,000 fine and, potentially, the possibility of the dogs being removed from his care.

Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods, said: “We will not tolerate irresponsible dog owners who do not take sufficient care to ensure their dogs are not a danger to other dogs, or cause fear to residents.

“We welcome the order issued by York Magistrates and will monitor and enforce the conditions to ensure compliance.”