Lib Dems welcome Monk Stray U-Turn

Monk Stray

Liberal Democrat Councillor Nigel Ayre has welcomed the news that Labour run York Council has withdrawn its attempts to install a permanent 8 metre gate onto Monk Stray from Stockton Lane.

The surprise annocument came this afternoon just hours before the council’s Planning Committee was due to debate the application. It was believed that the gate was being put in to allow large vehicles to access the site during next month’s Tour De France, when Monk Stray will be turned into a ‘Spectator Hub’.

However, over 70 local residents had objected to the application citing concerns that the gate would change the character of the historic public space, lead to the loss of grass land, increase traffic problems on Stockton Lane and would lead to regular large scale events on the Stray. Concerns were also raised by Cllr Ayre that removing historic hedgerow would break regulations.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Heworth Without, commented:

“I am pleased that officers have listened to local concerns and taken the sensible decision to withdraw this planning application. With significant local opposition and many unanswered questions it was the logical thing to do.

“However, this is another embarrassing episode for the Labour Cabinet Member and her plans for Monk Stray. It has been one blunder after another. First Labour’s attempts to get a licence to hold events every year on the Stray was defeated, then the Caravan Club pulled out of hosting camping on the site for the Tour De France, and now the plans to install a gate before the Tour have been withdrawn.

“The mistake that Labour has made at every step is to propose half-baked plans before consulting with local residents. Monk Stray is a much valued open space that belongs to the people of York. Labour seem to have completely forgotten this.”

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Full details of the withdrawn application can be found here: http://modgov.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=814&MId=8121

Tomorrow crunch day for latest Monk Stray plans

Monk Stray

There are fears that a gate onto Monk Stray could end up costing taxpayers thousands despite local residents saying they don’t want it.

Labour run York Council wants to install a permanent 8 metre timber gate onto Monk Stray from Stockton Lane.

The gate would allow largevehicles to access the site during next month’s Tour De France.

While York Council was forced to cancel plans for camping on Monk Stray when the Caravan Club pulled out of running the site after opposition from local residents, the Stray will still host a ‘Spectator Hub’ for the Grand Départwith thousands of visitors expected.

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Monk Stray meeting confirms no caravans

The meeting held by the Council last night heard confirmation that camping and caravanning plans for Monk Stray had been abandoned.

The Council is now trying to find alternative sites (or refunds) for those visitors who had already booked places at the venue.

However the one day spectator hub event will go ahead and the Council is seeking planning permission to remove 8 metres of hedge-line (and install a gate and access road) to facilitate entry.

The Cabinet member with responsibility for the shambles (Cllr Crisp) has been noticeably quiet leaving Council officials to make the public announcement.

Huntington Stadium

Huntington Stadium

Meanwhile residents only have until 5^th June to record any objections to the plans to hold a 10,000 capacity concert at Huntington Stadium.

It is not yet clear whether the Council has changed the conditions – and not least the capacity – attached to Huntington Stadium’s safety certificate

Monk Stray camping officially abandoned

Monk Stray

The Caravan Club have now officially told the local media that they w ill not be organising camping facilities on Monk Stray at the time of the Tour de France

As we predicted earlier in the week, the Club have pulled out of the event following local opposition.

The York Council has not responded officially to the news but they have arranged another public meeting at which they will presumably explain their actions to aggrieved local residents.

This will take place on Tuesday 27 May at Christ Church, Stockton Lane, Heworth Without from 6-8pm

Monk stray camping plan – mystery deepens

Monk Stray

We understand that the Caravan Club may pull out of the deal which would have seen them run a camping and caravan site on Monk Stray to coincide with the Tour de France coming to the City.

The plan formed a part of a last minute attempt by the Labour Leadership of the Council to get round a ban on camping introduced by the Licensing Committee.

The Council claimed that the Caravan Club did not need to observe licensing restrictions for short term events but it now seems that the deal is set to be abandoned.

Any change would mean that those who had already paid to book pitches would have to be refunded.

The Tour web site is no longer advertising the stray as a campsite.

As recently as 16th May the responsible Labour Councillor (Crisp) said in the media that the campsite would go ahead

Fresh controversy over plans for Monk Stray

York Council is using a “planning loophole” from the 1960s to host camping on Monk Stray for July’s Tour De France just weeks after its original proposals for the site were rejected.

Monk Stray

In March Labour run York Council was forced to scale back its plans for Monk Stray. Nearly 300 residents had opposed proposals to stage events serving alcohol on the Stray on 14 days in any year. The council’s cross-party Licensing Committee decided to grant a one day only licence for July’s Tour De France and said that there could be no camping allowed on the licensable area as part of this.

However, council officers have confirmed that a deal has now been agreed withthe Caravan Club to manage camping on the site for the Tour De France. Planning legislation from the 1960s allows the Caravan Club to organise the camping without a planning application. York Council has also submitted a planning application for a new gate to access Monk Stray (from Stockton Lane) after the authority was told that it could not use an access gate on a nearby private road.

Local residents have consistently raised concerns over plans to turn Monk Stray into a ‘Spectator Hub’ for July’s Grand Départ amid worries over access to the site, parking, traffic, noise, litter, surface water and anti-social behaviour.

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Monk Stray – License decision

Monk Stray

The Council’s licensing committee has turned down a proposal, from the York Councils Labour Cabinet, for a general license which would have allowed camping and entertainment activities on Monk Stray.

A 1 day licence for a Tour de France event has been granted but with numerous restrictions.

Labour could appeal against the decision to the Magistrates Court but would find itself in the invidious position of appealing against the views of one of its own committees!

Perhaps significantly, on this occasion, the Licensing panel was made up of 2 Tory plus 1 Labour Councillor.

Monk Stray licensing application – background papers published

The York Council has now published details of the event it is planning to hold on Monk Stray as part of the Tour de France.

Details of the licensing application can be found by clicking here

As residents suspected, the licensing application would allow events to be staged on Monk Stray for 14 days (each year). In other words it is not a “one off” event as claimed by Labour spokespeople.

286 representations have been made on the application.

This is one of the highest levels of objection ever received to a licensing application in York.

The Police have insisted that the Council amend its proposals to reduce the area that any event can take place on and to control the sale of alcohol on the site

The decision on the application will be made on Tuesday 25^th March at the Guildhall by 3 Councillors (2 Conservative and 1 Labour). The meeting will start at 10:00am and is open to the Press and public. Members of the public are now permitted to record the proceedings of Council meetings

In the event of the application being refused or substantially modified, the applicants (in this case, the Council itself) can make an appeal to the Magistrates Court.

The Council has been criticised for chosing to use Monk Stray for camping and “hub” activities connected with the Grand Départ. Residents have pointed to the University and Knavesmire as better located options.

NB. Liberal Democrats have again tabled questions for the Council meeting taking place on 27^th March asking about the costs of the TdF and the likely income that the Council will receive to offset the £1.6 million that it is investing in the event.

The question reads:

“Can the Cabinet Member outline how much additional income the Council can expect to receive from parking charges, rents, leases, licences, sponsorship and similar income streams during and after the “Grand Départ”?”

Monk Stray campsite licence application details published

The Council has now published the application that it has made (to itself) for a premises license for the use of Monk Stray.

There are no restrictions on the duration of the license which would allow plays, films, live music (till midnight), recorded music, performance of dance and “anything similar” together with the supply of alcohol for on and off site sales (until 2300 hours)

The application can be read here

Residents have until 24^th February to submit any objections.

The Council have so far failed to explain why the event could not have been accommodated on the Knavesmire.

Larger events, such as Royal Ascot at York and a visit by the Pope, have been accommodated there without major difficulties.

Tour caravan woe for Monk Stray?

Caravan and camping site planned

Monk Stray

It appears that the York Council are going to approve the use of Monk Stray as a huge camping and caravan site to service the needs of Tour de France visitors.

Although there has been no consultation with local Councillors or residents, notices posted in the area suggest that the facility will be open for around a month.

The actual TdF start event in the City lasts only 2 days.

Most had expected camping facilities to be located closer to the Knavesmire where the start takes place.

Meanwhile the Council is remaining tight lipped on how it proposes to recoup at least some of the £1.6 million that it is putting into the event. At the last Council meeting, details were promised in “January” but they have not emerged.

The York Council taxpayers subsidy is the largest agreed by any Local Authority in the region.

The official Tour web site is markedly silent on issues like car parking and sponsorship.