Bishopthorpe 1, Westfield 0

2.9 miles from Lowfields to replacement football pitch

The Council is to consider next week a  plan to spend £400,000 providing new football pitches for a team based in Bishopthorpe.

Good luck to “Bishopthorpe White Rose Football Club”. We wish them success.

However the Councils claim that this project will replace the football pitches, on which they hope to build, at Lowfields is complete “tosh”

The Tadcaster Road site (behind the London Bridge Service Station) is 3 miles from Lowfields. There is simply no way that Lowfields residents – old or new – would regard Sim Balk Lane as a convenient alternative for any kind of local leisure facility.

The truth of the matter is that the Bishopthorpe Football Club’s needs have grown over the years and they have (rightly) approached the Council for help. It is a coincidence that the Lowfields project came along at the same time.

The Council is being duplicitous in linking the two projects.

If a section Section 106 contribution towards sports facilities is available, then the £400,000 should be spent in the Westfield area. Last year, when the Executive first hatched its plan, they were talking about providing the current users of the pitches (Woodthorpe Wanderers) with new facilities. That idea seems to have been quietly forgotten.

Better still, the Council should leave the existing Lowfields pitches alone. Such a decision would be in line with the decision taken at the last Executive meeting which agreed to review open space provision in the City.

The plot hatched by Council officials is aimed at persuading Sport England to remove their blocking objection to the current Lowfields Planning application.

The Executive is also due to consider borrowing around £9 million to build houses on the Lowfields site(!) More about this later.

 

Now Drainage Board highlights Lowfields playing field development issues

click to view complete letter

According to the “Save Lowfields Playing Field Action Groups Facebook page the Ainsty Internal Drainage Board is unhappy with the Council’s plans to develop the playing field.

The Drainage Board comments come a few days after Sport England recorded a formal (holding) objection to the plans. Sport England say that the Council proposed alternative football pitch location (Sim Balk Lane) is unconvincing with any facility there likely to be used mainly by Bishopthorpe.

Lowfields Green – a candidate for the least imaginative architecture award?

Concerns about water run off rates, from what is currently a self draining grassed field, are not unexpected.

A glace at the Council unimaginative serried rows of new houses (see left) as well as offering little streetscape relief, have minimal green space provision.

Sport England objection

Hard surfaces increase water run off rates and neighbouring properties could be adversley affected.

Hopefully the Council will now withdraw its proposals and come with something that not only increases the availability of homes in the area but also addresses some endemic failings.

Not least amongst these are the lack of open space and sports pitches in the Westfield ward.

One of the consequences of poor leisure and other public services is that life expectancy in the area is significantly below the Citywide average

 

Last day for objections to the “Lowfields Green” development

The deadline for objections to the Councils “Lowfields Green” planning application has now passed.

The Action Group opposing the proposal to build on the playing field part of the site have submitted a comprehensive objection. A copy of their objection can be found via their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/LowfieldsActionGroup/

Most of the representations of support for the scheme seem to be generated by the  communal living project (Yorspace) although there is general support for the plans for specialist accommodation for the elderly.

None of the representations in favour of the Councils proposals come for people living near Lowfields (or indeed from the Westfield/Acomb area more generally)

The only unconditional message of support for the Council plan has been lodged by Bob Towner – a former Director of Housing at (you guessed!) the City of York Council!  He says local people should use Hob Moor for recreational activities.

Further examination of the artists impressions of the proposals reveal a regimented design, the likes of which haven’t been seen since the 1960’s.

Lowfields Green – a candidate for the least imaginative architecture award?

 

 

 

Residents group publishes alternative plan for Lowfields school development

Action Group sets up Facebook page

Residents alternative to Council plans

The Save Lowfields Playing Fields Action Group has stepped up its activities following the decision of the York  Council to submit a planning application aimed at developing the local playing field.

The application was made two weeks before the current consultation, on the Draft Local Plan, was due to conclude.

The Action Group have submitted an alternative development plan in response to the Local Plan consultation. It shows that the playing field could be conserved while still allowing 200 hundred new homes and flats to be accommodated on the site of the school buildings.

Details of the alternative – and the groups objection to the Councils planning application – are now beginning to appear on their dedicated Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/LowfieldsActionGroup/

One key driver for the opposition is the Council plan to move the football pitch over 2 miles to a site on Sim Balk Lane (where it will become the home for a Bishopthorpe based football team).

The Action Group has quoted the Councils own figures which show that the Westfield area is already short of all forms of open space and sports pitches.

Council figures demonstrate lack of open space in the Westfield area

They have won the support of local Councillor Andrew Waller who says he will object to the plans unless they are amended to save the playing fields.

In his local newsletter he says that the proposed alternative open space and sports facilities are simply too far away from Lowfields to be of any use. He points out that there isn’t even a direct bus service to the Sim Balk Lane site.

“There isn’t enough open space for recreation  in the Westfield area and this application, unless amended, will make things even worse.”

Residents have until 15th November to record objections to the two planning applications

Overall site layout http://tinyurl.com/Lowfields-layout

Housing application http://tinyurl.com/Lowfields-housing

The original proposal, tabled by the Council in 2011, would have seen a care village, aimed at older people, built on the school site.

At that time around 70 housing units were proposed.

 

York Labour housing building plans questioned

A Labour leaflet advocating large scale housing building plans on greenfield sites has been criticised by the Liberal Democrats.

The Labour plans would see many playing fields and green belt sites developed. They are similar to those promoted by the party in its 2014 Local Plan which failed to secure government approval

Now the Liberal Democrats have hit back with some home truths

 

Latest planning applications for the Westfield Ward

Controversial plan to build on Lowfields Playing field now “on line”

Below are the latest planning applications received by the York Council for the Westfield ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the reference number


The following two applications are the largest to be considered in the Westfield Ward for over 20 years. They are the most controversial since the Council decided to build on the Our Lady’s school playing field 8 years ago. Separate articles will appear on this web site dealing with different aspects of the proposals

Former Lowfield School Dijon Avenue York

Erection of 96no. two and three storey houses, 26no. bungalows and three storey 18no. apartment building with new access and associated infrastructure

Ref. No: 17/02428/FULM 

——-

Former Lowfield School Dijon Avenue York

Outline application for 165 dwellings, care home (approx 80 bed), health and public service building and associated green space, access and infrastructure

Ref. No: 17/02429/OUTM 

———

128 Askham Lane York YO24 3HR

Formation of new access to front, new hardstanding to front to provide additional parking, 1.8m high gate and fence to front, side and rear, siting of raised decking to rear and detached pergola.

Ref. No: 17/01886/FUL 

—–

 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/

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

Muddle, confusion and fabrication – York Council approach to Lowfields planning application

Many residents living in the Lowfields area were surprised to get a letter last week from the Councils Housing Directorate. The letter told them that two planning applications had been submitted which would lead to the development of the whole of the Lowfields site.

The letter quoted reference numbers. 17/02428/FUL, covering roads and housing, and 17/02429/OUTM covering “the whole site including self-build, community housing, care home and health facilities”

It turns out that someone jumped the gun as these applications still do not appear on the “planning on line” web site  https://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications//

The letter claims that there have been changes made following the last consultation with residents in the summer. The Council fails to highlight what these changes are.

The housing department also claims that “landscaped green space will be open to the public for the first time” In practice the playing fields were open to the public until about 5 years ago when the Council tried to secure the boundaries. At the time, they said this could only be a for a few months.

The usable green space, on the plans that have been published so far, show an area of useable amenity land which is similar in size to the small area which lies at the junction of Dijon Avenue and Lowfield Drive.

The Council has blundered if it is canvassing for support – at taxpayers’ expense – for a scheme which is subject to a planning application. There is a long-standing protocol that, where a local authority is both the landowner and the planning authority, then it must behave in an impartial way. That principle has been breached already. It is likely to increase the pressure for the proposal to be called in by central government for determination.

Perhaps even more extraordinary, was a claim made by the Tory Councillor responsible for housing on Friday who said that the houses would be built by the Council. It would be the “biggest housing development by the Council since 1988”

It emerged today that no such decision has been taken.

The media release which led to the story in the media – and apparently issued by the Council – was not published on their web site 

Indeed, with only 20% of the properties likely to be affordable, there would be little incentive for the Council to take on the burden of appointing professional staff to project manage what would only be a 3-year project.

Private house builders have been subject to the 20% rule for over a decade and could produce homes more quickly and economically.

You only have to look at the delays dogging Council building projects (Mansion House, Guildhall, York Central, Community Stadium) to see why any entry into the speculative housing building market would be viewed with alarm by taxpayers.

Delays in building Oakhaven care home replacement.

The Council are saying that the opening of the replacement for the Oakhaven care home on York Road will be delayed until the end of 2019 “at the earliest”.

The existing home was closed in 2015 and most recently was used as a homeless hostel.

Bed availability trends

A Council report reveals that there will still be a shortfall in residential care places for the elderly of 654 by 2020. This is slightly down on the inherited shortfall of 701.

“Extra Care” facilities – like those planned for Oakhaven – should reduce the excess of demand over supply from 330 to 9 by 2020.

The number of care beds available has remained fairly level over recent years while the number of delayed discharges from hospital (so called “bed blocking”) remains high as the winter approaches.

The report blames the Councils “partner” for the delays at Oakhaven.

“The delivery of this scheme is running later than originally planned as this procurement was launched later than anticipated due to lengthier examination of the procurement and legal options associated with the plan.

Further delays have occurred as Ashley House develop their design.

At present, we would expect completion of the building, subject to grant of planning permission, in Q3 2019 at the earliest”.

On the Lowfields Plans the report says,

“Plans for the development of a care home, health hub, homes (including bungalows and apartments for the over 55s) and public open space at Lowfield Green, in their final draft form, were the subject of further public engagement in July.

Engagement has shown support for the proposed development.

Lowfields school site is overgrown

However, there is strong objection to the development from the Save Lowfields Playing Field Action Group.

We will be ready to submit the planning application for this proposed development in September 2017.

Later in the autumn Executive will be asked to decide if we are to build the new homes ourselves or sell the land so that another developer can do so”.

NB. Opposition to the development at Lowfields centres around the houses planned for the playing field. The elderly persons accommodation proposals enjoy broad support as they are to be built on the “footprint” of the old school buildings.

York Local Plan- another consultation!

Just when you thought that the Council had finally decided on a Local Plan that would take York into the 2030’s, the authority has launched another public consultation.

The last consultation  took place in the spring.

The Council says that”homes  in the city will receive a special edition of the Our City publication over the next two weeks, which explains the plan and how to have your say.

The full version of the Local Plan pre-publication draft – and comment forms which can be sent freepost –  is available to view online at www.york.gov.uk/localplan,  in all the city’s libraries and the council’s reception at west offices.

Residents are also invited to one of eight special consultation events, while additional information will also be available at all ward committees which meet during the consultation period.

You can also get involved via twitter @CityofYork or facebook.com/cityofyork, using the hashtag #YorkLocalPlan

There wil be a public consultation event on Monday 16 October at Acomb Explore Library, Acomb (3-7.30pm)

Additional information will also be provided at the ward committee meeting (Dringhouses & Woodthorpe joint with Westfield) – Tuesday 26 September  York & District Indoor Bowls Club, 302 Thanet Road, Dringhouses, York, YO24 2NW 6.30-8pm)

The published plans still involve development of the Lowfields playing field, so it is important that residents record their objections to any proposals that they disagree with

There is expected to be an “examination in public” by an independent inspector early next year.

Land use leaflet