Good news and the bad news

Good to see that the Post Box on Beagle Ridge Drive has finally been reinstated. It was first sealed off over 6 months ago

Meanwhile, across the street, the long term empty Council bungalow – which the Council has been unable to re-let – is regularly being vandalised. Several other properties have also been targeted.

We are beginning to lose confidence in the York Councils housing management officials.

The Council has been without a permanent head for its Council housing team for nearly a year now. Estate management vacancies are not being filled despite the housing accounts showing a substantial surplus.

York deserves better

Meanwhile the next Councils meeting agenda has been published. Anyone hoping for evidence that Councillors are addressing the major decline in public service standards will be disappointed.

With NHS staff being undervalued, unemployment rates rising, highway network maintenance standards at a new low, street level crime on the rise and housing in a management vacuum, you might have expected at least the official Labour opposition to highlight the issues. In fact you could reasonably expect most back bench Councillors of all parties to start to seriously question what is going wrong.

But no. Labour use an agenda motion to agonise about transgender recognition. They want to instruct schools to use trans childrens “preferred name pronoun”.

Post late for Christmas?

Apparently Royal Mail have now said that the pillar box on Beagle Ridge Drive, which has been out of use for about 2 months, cannot be repaired. Previously they had said that it needed a new door.

The box is the most conveniently located in the Foxwood area and its loss in the busy run up to Christmas has been a disappointment to many people.

The Post Office have not said when a replacement box will be installed.

Meanwhile we have report fly tipping next the recycling banks on the Acomb Wood Drive shopping area car park.

Battle of the Monsters

Well not exactly Godzilla vs King Kong but fly posters have gone head to head with graffiti artists to see who can make the biggest mess of the abandoned BT telephone kiosk on Beagle Ridge Drive.

Hopefully BT will remove the kiosk along with the advertising quickly now. They disconnected power to the redundant payphone some 4 weeks ago.

Meanwhile, as possibly befits an upmarket neighbourhood, fly posters have appeared on lampposts near the entrance to the All Saints & Millthorpe schools on The Mount.

They are offering the services of a private tutor. No doubt the teachers at the schools will be thrilled by the development.

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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Co-operative Retail Services Ltd 6 Beagle Ridge Drive York YO24 3JQ

Replacement of existing refrigeration plant and redecoration of shopfront 

Ref. No: 19/02476/FUL 

The planning application states, “The proposed replacement plant is to facilitate ongoing sustainability initiatives within the Co-op Group providing smaller, quieter, and more efficient plant across local convenience stores. The shop front redecoration work is to facilitate ongoing sustainability initiatives within the Co-op group providing maintenance, upkeep and branding requirements across the local stores.

The new replacement plant will have minimal visual impact on site as it is to be installed within the existing fenced compound at the existing location to the rear service yard. The shop front redecoration will improve the visual impact on site providing freshness to the existing deteriorating and discolouring paintwork to the façade, window and door frames”.

Plans for improvements to Coop on Beagle Ridge Drive

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Former Lowfield School Dijon Avenue York

Condition 34 –17/02428/FULM 

Ref. No: AOD/19/00391 

NB. Condition 34 of planning permission ref 17/02428/FULM reads

“34 Prior to the commencement of the development hereby authorised above foundation level a scheme for the provision of affordable housing units within the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

The development shall thenceforth be undertaken in strict accordance with the details thereby approved prior to the first residential unit being occupied”.

Strangely the papers published for this specific application on the Councils planning web site do not include a listing of the affordable housing units or their distribution on the site, although these details are available elsewhere.

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Lincoln Court Ascot Way York YO24 4RA

Variation of condition 2 of permitted application 19/00083/FULM to provide additional windows and alter fire exit arrangements within the north eastern elevation and stairwell and external air conditioning unit at first floor level on eastern elevation. 

Ref. No: 19/02440/FUL 

Lincoln Court

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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

Issues reported to York Council

While there has been some improvement in some local public services this week, we’re still finding, and reporting, a lot of local issues that require attention

ridge dumped at entrance to farmers field
A lot of local snickets like this one on Cornlands Road require more regular sweeping. Several now need to be resurfaced.
More Graffiti
…..and we’ve reported full litter bins on Beagle Ridge Drive and Acomb car park

Graffiti removed from street furniture in east York

Following action by Cllr Mark Walters, Virgin media have cleaned graffiti from many of their cabinets in east York. The above are in Tang Hall.
Unfortunately, the position in west York seems to have deteriorated with more graffiti appearing. This BT telephone kiosk in Beagle Ridge Drive is due to be removed shortly, but in the meantime it has become a target for the “artists” The Foxwood Residents Association has now formally complained about the amount of litter in the neighbourhood. They wat to see the return of “lengths-men” and dedicated estate workers, The Foxwood shops forecourt is a particular problem area.

With shorter days, the reliability of street lighting will once again become a priority. No doubt local Councillors will be undertaking a sweep of their wards checking for faults. Residents also may want to report issues. Generally faulty bulbs are replaced quickly if reported via the Councils “on line” site https://www.york.gov.uk/reportproblems (click)

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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14 Redcoat Way York YO24 3NG

Two storey side extension and single storey front extension. 

Ref. No: 19/01305/FUL 

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Co-operative Retail Services Ltd 6 Beagle Ridge Drive York YO24 3JQ

Display of 1 no. internally halo illuminated fascia sign to the west elevation , 1 no. internally halo illuminated logo sign to the north elevation, 4 no. non-illuminated banner display units to the north elevation , and other associated signage. 

Ref. No: 19/01286/ADV 

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244 Hamilton Drive West York YO24 4PJ

Single storey side and rear extensions, hip to gable roof extension and dormer to rear 

Ref. No: 19/01266/FUL 

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59 Westfield Place Acomb York YO24 3HL

Condition 1 of 18/01501/FUL (as approved on appeal) requiring details of the proposed screen to balcony. 

Ref. No: AOD/19/00214 

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155A Gale Lane York YO24 3AG

Change of use of first floor apartment (Use Class C3) to House in Multiple Occupation for up to 5 occupants (Use Class C4)

NB. The proposal is to accommodate 5 individuals in rooms above the existing shop. No new allocated parking space is proposed

Ref. No: 19/01135/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/

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

Residents at Foxwood Co op this morning

Foxwood Residents Association officials are visiting the Coop shop on Beagle Ridge Drive this morning. They will be encouraging shoppers to nominate Foxwood as a beneficiary of a grants scheme set up by the Coop. The local residents Association gets a grant equal to 1% of the shopping bill of any participating member. This is a unique a “no cost” opportunity to help the local community.