Lowfields – Residents hit back at Planning Councillors

The area to be built on has increased – and open space provision reduced – every time a new plan has been drawn up by officials

The Save Lowfields Playing Field Action Group have written to the Government Minister with responsibility for Planning asking him to “call in” the planning application to develop the sports field at Lowfields.

The proposal was approved by the Council’s Executive in July and two formal applications were debated by the same authorities planning committee last week. Two Councillors serve on both committees. They have been criticised for not declaring their interest.

There are procedures in place which seek to ensure that a Council is not judge and jury on planning applications for land that it owns. For many years there was a protocol in place which discouraged Councillors from taking places on both the Executive committee and the Planning committee. That safeguard seems to have been abandoned by the current administration.

What will come of this remains to be seen but is the latest in a series of controversial moves by the Council over this land.

A scheme for a care village gained widespread approval when it was tabled early in 2011. But the Council failed to implement the plan and the former school site lay abandoned for 7 years. The expectation had been that only the “built footprint” of the school would be developed, but this changed when the then Tory leader of the Council, David Carr, appointed a “no win no fee” consultant to push through a large-scale redevelopment.

The consultant was only paid if he achieved milestones with his final payment depending on the planning application being successful. The large payments potentially involved were revealed in a response to a Freedom of Information request (ref: FT/5995) in February 2017. .

David Carr is also a member of the Planning Committee. He also did not declare an interest at last weeks meeting

Consultation results were manipulated by officials eager to demonstrate that the local community was in favour of the plans. This was done by lobbying supporters of one element of the scheme (communal housing). They were encouraged to back the scheme by visiting the Acomb Library and filling in comment forms or by doing so on line.

The Council didn’t ask residents which parts of the scheme they favoured and which they opposed.

A door to door survey by local Councillors revealed that residents supported the plans for the east of the site but wished to retain the sports pitch.

Residents cried “foul” when the Council wrote to local people to lobby for support within hours of submitting two planning applications in October 2017.

The Lowfields Residents Group submitted representations to the Planning Committee pointing to 11 reasons why outline planning permission for the development should not be granted.

None of the issues were addressed by Councillors or officials at the meeting.

One angry resident walked out of the planning meeting calling it “shameful”.

A video of the meeting can be viewed on You Tube via this link

Lowfield development – Sports Council withdraws its holding objection

It appears that the Sports Council (Sport England) has been duped into withdrawing their objection to building on the Lowfields football pitches. They have told the planning department that the recent decision to provide pitches 3 miles way on Tadcaster Road meets their objection.

They had apparently been told by Council. officials that the Woodthorpe Wanderers team – who play at Lowfields- had agreed to play on the new pitches.

However it was revealed at a planning committee meeting two weeks ago that the pitches will be solely used by a team from Bishopthorpe.

The Lowfield Action Group have written to the Sports Council pointing out this anomaly https://www.facebook.com/LowfieldsActionGroup/

It now seems likely that the Council Leadership will try to bounce the planning application through the committee before the Local Plan Inquiry starts – robbing objectors of their right to make their case to an independent inspector.

The application may go to a meeting scheduled to take place on 16th August.

In the meantime.the Police have indicated that they will not be building a replacement station on the site while the NHS have also indicated that funding is not available for the new GP surgery shown on the Councils plans.

Lowfields campaign stepping up opposition to Council plans

Executive snubs Lowfields residents

The York Council is to consult residents on a plan to build on most of the former Lowfields school site.

Former Lowfields School entrance

Last night members of the committee and officials refused to acknowledge the concerns about the plan which were tabled by local Councillor Andrew Waller.

The committee had been told of the results of a survey undertaken in the area over the last week (see foot of page).

The survey results – covering over 300 households – revealed that the community was dismayed at some of the remarks contained in an officer report.

In particular:

Labour first suggested building on football pitches in 2012

Labour Councillors first considered building on the football pitches in 2012.

The suggestion that any development should be “piecemeal”. Residents have no desire to see construction traffic accessing the site over an extended period of time and are fearful that the maintenance standards that will apply to any undeveloped plots will be inadequate. They want to see an early completion of the whole of the site
The inclusion of any “hospital”, police depot or GP surgery all of which would have an impact on 24/7 traffic volumes, put more pressure on parking spaces and bring noise and disturbance to what is otherwise an entirely residential area. Residents say that any “hub” facilities – such as a police desk – should be located at the Library on Front Street (where there is adequate expansion potential to the rear of the existing buildings)
The reduction in open space to less than ½ the area of a football pitch is unacceptable. Residents want green space and want part of it to be allocated as a site for a nature reserve (lack of maintenance had de facto already effectively turned parts of the site into a wild life area over the last decade). Several have said that they would like to see a play park established.
Building high density houses would exacerbate parking problems. Such problems are acute at the quoted paradigm comparator location (the top of Tedder Road). Bungalows and older persons (downsizing) apartments would be more acceptable as the number of vehicles owned by occupants of this type of property is likely to be low,

Many residents say that they hoped that the Council would agree to honour its historic commitment to the local community and restrict development to a 6.5 acre site.

Future of Lowfields school site to be considered on 30th June

Lowfields school site is now overgrown

Only days after the NHS said it was considering building a Mental Health Hospital on the Lowfields school site, the York Council has slated the future of the location for debate on 30th June.

A new “Forward Programme” has been published which gives only 4 weeks notice of the discussion.

The three items down for decision are:

1. Move forward with plans for the re-development of the Lowfields school site, beginning with public engagement regarding use and design.
2. Consult on the closure of a further Older Persons’ Home in the autumn of 2016 and one in the first half of 2017, following the Moving Homes Safely Protocol.
3. Open negotiations to purchase land adjacent to Haxby Hall in order to facilitate the examination of options for its future.

The original intention had been to site an older persons “village” on the footprint of the former school site. This was subsequently abandoned when the then Labour led Council lost control of the project amidst escalating costs.

Instead, they decided to concentrate all resources on building a new “hub” on the east of the city at Burnholme.

This led to accusations that the Council was ignoring the needs of older people on the Acomb side of the City.

There now seems to be no chance of the Council finding money to develop the site itself.

Instead the hope is that it will be put on the open market (as it could have been two years ago) with bids being assessed against an agree set of criteria. If the aim remains to provide accommodation principally aimed at older people (the site is ideally located near to amenities) then a high weighting could be given to bids that can guarantee that outcome.

This is what the Council (belatedly) did when selling off the Oliver House elderly persons home for redevelopment. That site was subsequently sold to a company specialising in retirement properties.

This strategy has the added value that older people “downsizing” to Lowfields would free up more family sized accommodation elsewhere.

Residents will be keeping an eagle eye on the Council to ensure that no development intrudes onto the Lowfields playing fields.

There is a shortage of football pitches on the west of the City and potentially the former school playing field would also be an important amenity for any new community development.

After 5 years of talk, muddle, delay and confusion, Labour abandon plan for Lowfields Elderly Care Village

£1 million wasted on aborted project?

Acomb care village site – project abandoned

Labour have today admitted that they have failed to deliver a new modern facility – aimed at older people – on the site of the former Lowfields school.

The Council report can be read by clicking here

Talks with potential contractors have been abandoned and the future of the site has been thrown into the air again.

The site had been “marketed” jointly with the Burnholme school site on the other side of the City (which may still go ahead)

Residents in the west of the City were hoping to see the equivalent of the Hartrigg Oaks facility, which Rowntree Housing manage on the other side to the City, built in Acomb. The Lowfields site was considered to be ideal because it is within walking distance of all major services and facilities. It is close to a frequent buss service.

Although the retirement village was agreed in 2010 by the last LibDem administration, the project was derailed when Labour took office in 2011. They tried unsuccessfully to develop the scheme as a Council run home…. believed to be a condition which a local government union imposed when funding Labours last election campaign.

“In house” provision proved to be unaffordable with build figures of over £20 million leaked to the media in 2012.

The project then went the same way as the Community Stadium plan, with additional requirements being heaped onto potential developers making the whole scheme unviable.

Instead of admitting failure 2 years ago, Labour continued with a doomed “procurement process” until today’s’ announcement brought the sorry saga to an end

The project was 5 years behind schedule and is probably a bigger example of mismanagement than even the Lendal Bridge fiasco.

Clearly one big question is how much has been spent (staff time, “soft marketing”, plans, procurement etc.) so far on the Lowfields project?

Some sources put the figure at over £1 million.

The U turn will cause consternation in elderly care facilities across the City. Some were destined to close when occupiers moved to the brand new state of the art village.

Now it seems that some may be modernised with suggestions that there could be a new facility and health hub at Oakhaven.

The Council has promised to work with current providers to provide improved facilities especially for dementia sufferers. A £2.5m extension to Glen Lodge may be built for dementia care.

The level of care at Auden House is to be “improved”.

Labour have said that they want to build houses and flats on the Lowfields school site.

Our view is that local residents should be consulted and that the Council should remember that, while the care village had widespread support, alternative building plans were viewed with suspicion by the local community.

Obviously all this will be overtaken by the elections in May when most people expect Labour to be ousted from the leadership of the York Council.

Liberal Democrats still believe in the principle of establishing a quiet, caring, environment for older people in Acomb.

We would look to make the Lowfields site available to providers with the experience and drive to move the project forward again.

The tragedy unfolds – year by year guide to failure (click for details)

2011 May – Developers offer to build care village at Lowfields
2011 Aug – “Future of care homes homes” consultation starts
2012 Jan – Council plans to build on Lowfields playing fields, according to leaked documents
2012 April – Council announce 2014 opening date for Lowfields care village
2012 May – “Private sector to run Lowfields care village” Council announces
2012 Dec – Council announce delays to Lowfields Care Village. 2014 opening date abandoned
2013 May – Lowfields care village opening slips to 2016; huge cost increase
2013 Nov – “Dementia Support” promised for Lowfields Care Village.
2014 July – Secrecy descends on school site plans
2014 Dec – Labour Cabinet member accused of “dithering” on Lowfield project
2015 Jan – “In light of continuing care crisis in NHS”, Scrutiny Committee chair forced to submit Freedom of Information request
2015 Feb 23rd – Council announces it is abandoning the Lowfields care village project

The York Council is to consult residents on a plan to build on most of the former Lowfields school site.

£1 million wasted on aborted project?

Some sources put the figure at over £1 million.

The tragedy unfolds – year by year guide to failure (click for details)

Liberal Democrats are demanding answers over plans for a new care village at Lowfields in Acomb amid concerns about delays and a lack of communication with local residents.