The planning committee last night approved the proposals for
the extension of Lincoln Court.
Proposed new layout
They failed to include a timetable for the replacement of
the all-weather games area which will be destroyed as part of their plan.
Successive Council officials and Tory Councillors claimed
that the “MUGA” had not been used.
That is simply not true. The area was popular for many years but fell into decline because of lack of maintenance with overgrown bushes providing a screen which encouraged anti-social behaviour.
That was down to poor management by the York Council.
Nevertheless providing an alternative at the Thanet Road site
would have been a positive proposal. The Councils executive had seemed to take
a step in that direction on Monday when they offered to support a new facility.
Council officials admitted last night that they had not even
opened discussions with the rugby club which currently leases the Thanet Road site.
So, what have they
been doing for the last 6 months?
The issue will now be referred to the Secretary of State for
decision. Residents will make representations in support of Sport England’s position
which is that an alternative should be provided before the existing facility is
lost.
Lincoln Court
If this results in
delays, then it will be on the heads of the Councillors who last night voted
through a scheme which not only sells down the river the hopes of younger people
in the Westfield area but also endorses a scheme which provides only a very
small external garden space for the use of the elderly residents of Lincoln
Court.
Car parking provision is inadequate while a confused traffic
management model can only lead to more congestion in the estate with verges and
footpaths likely to be damaged by large vehicles.
Work on providing a parking lay-by outside the flats on Askham Lane has started. The work has been outstanding for a long time. Residents have increasingly resorted to parking on the verges which, in wet weather, are easily damaged. So this is good progress.
Local LibDem Councillors also report that off street parking is being provided for the flats on Danesfort Avenue. Much of the area has double yellow lines, and sections of Middleton Road are very congested. The work on the layby, which has been in the programme for some time now’ has been scheduled for the week commencing 25th March. It will use the “eco grid” system used in other locations in the ward.
Location of new off street parking spaces on Danesfort Avenue
The first day of spring sees some daffodils blooming on Askham Lane. The Council has cut back the hedge to allow improved visibility from the bus shelter. That’s good progress after the problems that there have been in recent years.
A little further long Askham Lane, near the flats, we understand that the Council may start to install, the much delayed, parking lay-by in the next few days. If true, it is another piece of good news following years of frustration with parking problems.
The localresidents action grouphas protested about the policy for storing excavated materials on the Lowfield development site. Mountains of waste are gradually growing on the Green Lane boundary.
Residents say they were promised consultation on the strategy for dealing with excavated materials. If they were to be stored on site – in preparation for reuse later in the building phase of the work, then assurances were needed about their short and long term effects on drainage in the area.
Waste materials piled 8 metres high on Lowfields site
Now several neighbouring residents are looking out onto 8 metre high piles of concrete rubble.
Concerns were also recorded about the effect that the work would have on the local ecology.
Verges being damaged
A lorry visiting the site today damaged verges near the site entrance.
This has led to renewed appeals for better advanced notice of deliveries and their likely impact on “on street” parking.
The Councils Executive discussed the planned extension of the Lincoln Court independent living building yesterday. They agreed to progress the scheme and included a requirement for an alternative all weather games area to be provided in the ward.
It will be up to the planning committee at its meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) to include a condition requiring that the new facility is provided before the existing MUGA is demolished.
Windsor House is already being vandalised
It emerged at the meeting that 14 of the remaining 19 tenants have now accepted offers of alternative accommodation. When the remaining 5 will be offered, and accept, a suitable alternative remains in doubt. The adjacent Windsor House building, which is empty, is already suffering vandalism and there is a concern that the whole site could become a magnet for anti social behaviour.
Large delivery lorries are ruining roads in Lowfields. Similar concerns about Ascot Way
The Council is negotiating with the school to allow builders plant to access the site from the school side. There have been major problems getting large items of plant into the Lowfields site where roads are of a similar width to Ascot Way.
It has yet to be confirmed whether an (pedestrian) access will be retained from the school site when the redevelopment has been completed. This is considered to be essential to provide overflow parking capacity given that only 16 spaces are being provided on the Ascot Way frontage.
Large plant on Lowfields site. Working hours planning condition being breached?
Sadly members of the executive failed to probe why the new apartments have been described, in successive Planning Committee reports, as “extra care” units.
No doubt residents will get more clarification tomorrow
The largest proposal concerns the land to the rear of the railway station. Known as “York Central” redevelopment of the area has been on the cards for nearly two decades. It has finally reached the planning application stage. The report recommends that the plans be forwarded to the Secretary of State for endorsement. The plans have attracted some opposition, but the economic and social welfare of the City depends on making some progress on the site now. Hopefully some of the ill judged ideas such as having only one-way traffic through the Marble Arch tunnel can be changed at a later stage.
Lowfields
‘dozer wrecks playing field
There is already a lot of local disquiet about the way that the Council are implementing their plans for this area. Many of the comments on the “Save Lowfields Playing Field” Facebook pageare from disgruntled local residents who, even at this early stage, point to conflicts between lorries and parked cars, muddy roads and the ripping out of trees and hedges.
They are asking that the new parking spacespromised for Tudor Road be constructed before the existing parking lay-by is lost as an access road is constructed.
Yorspace proposed development plan, Lowfields
Further along the road, the “Yorspace” applicationhas been heavily criticised by local residents. The main concerns related to the lack of affordable units proposed on the site, the impact on the natural environment including inappropriate boundary treatments, security concerns relating to the adjacent public snicket access to little Tudor Road, the proposal to remove the railings which protect adjacent properties, inadequate car parking provision and the impact that overspill parking by residents, families and visitors could have on neighbouring streets and the height of the buildings.
Council officials have revealed that they have approved 5 outstanding conditions, for activities on the building site, despite several objections.
Lincoln Court
Lincoln Court.
The Council has made an embarrassing series of mistakes on the proposal to extend this independent living building. Even now they have published papers which imply (wrongly) that the new apartments will be classified as “Extra Care” units. It has had plenty of time to clarify that issue.
There is some hope now that the future of the adjacent games area will be secured. Local Councillors are understood to have taken the initiative to discuss moving the facility to the local rugby club ground. If so, that would be a good solution to a problem which has also raised concerns from Sport England, and the resident’s association.
