Major housing plans in York set to get go ahead next week

Proposals to develop two long term empty sites in York will be before the planning committee next week. Together the development of the sites could provide nearly 700 new homes in the City.

 Gas works site, Heworth Green

The proposal is for the erection of a maximum of 625 residential apartments, 130 sqm of retail or community use floorspace.

Two gas governor compounds will be retained, and the site will be remediated with the old gasholder removed and gas pipes relocated underground.

The plans cover associated access, car parking, amenity space and landscaping after demolition of existing pipework, structures and telephone mast.

The brownfield site is allocated for housing in the revised York Local Plan. The site is no longer classified as contaminated.

The plans would see 370 one bed, 194 two bed and 61 three bed apartments built.

The report suggests that 20 social rent houses will be provided (off site) as part of the plans. In addition around 130 of the on-site apartments will be available for private rent, discounted by 30%.

There have been concerns registered about inadequate car parking arrangements and the York Civic Trust has said that the plans are an “overdevelopment”.

The development will cost £154 million. It is recommended for approval by Council officials.

Ashbank Shipton Road

Ashbank – scheduled to be converted into flats since 2013

Another long term empty property badly in need of redevelopment are the former Council offices at Ashbank. The building has been empty for over 8 years and is still owned by the York Council.

The application involves the demolition of Barleyfields and erection of 54 assisted living apartments and communal facilities. The modern extensions to Ashbank would be demolished and the building converted into 4 assisted living apartments. There would be changes to parking and landscaping arrangements.

Planning permission was previously granted for four 2½ storey dwellings to the rear of Ashbank with conversion of the villa to 5 apartments. This permission has not been implemented.

12 of the new units will be “affordable”

There have been 12 objections registered some connected with the loss of tree cover (although replacement planting is proposed) and building height

The site is classified as “brownfield”

Officials are recommending approval of the plans

Licensing application says 20,000 may turn up for York Music Festival on Shipton Road

The organisers of the York Music Festival scheduled to take place on the York Sports Club Fields on the weekend of 19th – 21st June have applied for a premises licence.

It will be considered by the York Council at a meeting being held on 27th February.

Live Nation Music say that the event, which features artists like Madness, Westlife and Lionel Richie may attract as many as 20,000 customers.

They application includes details of the event management plan and can be viewed on the Councils web site by clicking here

The Councils public protection department are recommending several conditions aimed at reducing the risk of noise nuisance click

They say, “the agreed Noise Management Plan must contain a requirement that the Music Noise Level expressed as an LAeq shall not exceed 65dB(A) over a 15 minute period as measured at the nearest noise sensitive premises”.

Objections to the application have been registered by residents living in Galtres Grove. Several other residents have also objected. They include comments by a local Parish Council

Apart from noise, most concerns are likely to relate to traffic issues and the ability of the police and organisers to control the behaviour of those attending.

One objector asked for “no concluding fireworks display” in deference to the sensitivities of his dog!

What’s on in York: Yorkshire cricket returns to City next August

YORK’S CLIFTON PARK WILL STAGE TWO FIRST CLASS MATCHES IN JUST 72 HOURS, AGAINST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE (ON TUESDAY AUG 4th) AND SURREY (THURSDAY AUG 6th)

After First-Class cricket returned to the City of York in 2019, the first time since a Championship match at Wigginton Road in 1890 when Yorkshire beat Kent, Clifton Park is also scheduled to host two List A matches within the space of 72 hours. Northamptonshire and Surrey are the visitors in a revamped competition that is no longer regionalised. This forms part of a three-year agreement which promised List A cricket to the City for 2020 and 2021.

“York did really well last year!” said the Club’s CEO Mark Arthur. “We enjoyed it and the spectators enjoyed it too. We had a lovely letter from Warwickshire County Cricket Club to say how well organised they thought the whole match was. They were very, very complimentary to York, indeed. This year we have been working with the ECB to try and concentrate four games of cricket within a 12-day period. So there will be two 50-over matches, early in that period, and later on there will be two women’s Hundred matches.

“The important thing about having four days of cricket at York, four days of single cricket, is that we can build an infrastructure similar to the one that was in place for the Championship matches. Therefore, it makes sure that we can spread the overheads much wider than if you just had a one off game. You simply wouldn’t be able to build a temporary stand similar to the one we had for the game there last year.”

Yesterday it was announced that the Shipton Road ground will stage a Rock Festival in June.

Click here to visit the Yorkshire Cricket Club web site

What’s on in York: York Festival

Madness coming to York

Nothing to do with BREXIT. It’s another outdoor rock concert with this one taking place at the York Sports Club on Shipton Road over 3 days next June. The Sports Club attracted over 3000 people to a Yorkshire County Cricket match earlier this year with the, mainly mature, audience putting little pressure on transport and policing resources.

Rock concerts are another matter with the highly popular Rod Stewart concert on the Knavesmire a few months ago attracting over 30,000 fans

The organisers claim to have been negotiating the new festival event with the York Council for some time. So we will expect to learn today how it is intended to prevent noise nuisance problems at an event which will extend into the evening period and which is located relatively close to residential properties..

As we’ve seen at Knavesmire events, alcohol misuse can be an issue at large events in the City. Add in access to (off site) toilet facilities, transport links and street cleanliness and you have a major set of issues which the authorities will have to provide assurances on.

Further details of the York Festival, including ticket availability, can be found at this web site www.york-festival.com

The line up for the annual “music showcase”, held on the Knavesmire each year, has already been announced. Rick Astley will take to the stage after racing concludes on 25th July. There will also be acts performing on the evening of 24th July and 27th June (just a week after the Shipton Road event)

The Yorkshire Cricket Club – whose fixture list is announced tomorrow – have already said that they will be returning to Shipton Road next summer. This is likely to be for a couple of one day games (although hopefully not on a pitch which has had the Glastonbury wet weather treatment!)

10 week highway scheme – A19 Shipton Road, Skelton

City of York Council will be carrying out highways works on the A19 Shipton Road at Skelton from Tuesday 7 May until mid July.

The works are a requirement of the planning consent associated with the adjacent Barratt/David Wilson Homes development of the former Del Monte site. The works are funded by the developer through a Section 106 agreement – a requirement of the planning consent.

The 10 week scheme includes:

  • alterations to the road layout to remove the acceleration and deceleration lanes (filter lanes) to and from the Fairfields Drive junction and to create a suitable access into the former Del Monte site
  • provision of a grassed central reservation area
  • creation of vehicular crossovers though the central reservation at the Fairfields Drive junction and the new Barratt development access
  • provision of uncontrolled pedestrian crossings within the central reservation
  • amendments to bus stops and
  • reduction of the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph.

Work will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption and to maintain access into Fairfields Drive and thereon into the village throughout the main works.

The main construction work is expected to take eight weeks, with subsequent road surfacing planned for a further two weeks.

Week 1 – Temporary traffic lights will be installed (9am to 4pm) at the junction with Fairfields Drive to undertake activities such as removal of existing traffic islands. Access in to / out of Fairfields Drive will be maintained but will be managed to ensure priority is given to keeping traffic flow on the A19 and to minimise queuing.

Weeks 2–8 inclusive – The A19 will operate with narrow lanes during the main construction works, thereby maintaining the continual flow of traffic. Fairfields Drive will remain open but traffic signals may be used to control traffic for specific works at the junction.

Weeks 9 and 10 (overnight) – Resurfacing of A19 and junctions. Traffic flows along the A19 will be maintained using single lane working controlled by temporary traffic signals. Fairfields Drive will be closed during this work.

Work during weeks 1-8 will be undertaken between the hours of 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday. Night working hours will be 8pm – 6am, Monday to Friday during weeks 9 and 10.

Bus services will be maintained throughout the works, although temporary bus stops will be provided on the A19.

It is intended to reduce the speed limit on the A19 to 30mph as a temporary safety measure during the works.

As with any highways scheme, there is likely to be some inconvenience at times during the works. Everything reasonably possible will be done to keep this to a minimum. Motorists should expect delays during the works and are advised to plan their journeys accordingly. For travel information in and around York, visit www.itravelyork.info.

The works will be carried out by the council, who will be responsible for public safety and maintaining access. For more information visit www.york.gov.uk/a19skelton

Ashbank sale set to net Council £1.35 million

Ashbank – scheduled to be converted into flats since 2013

The former Council offices at Ashbank on Shipton Road are set to be sold to Anchor Housing. They own the adjacent “Barleyfields” site.

The building has been empty for over 7 years.

The current offer is for £1.3 million.

Anchor hope to build 51 leasehold apartments on the site. The apartments are aimed at retired people.

More spy cameras heading for York

The York Council is planning to install ANPR cameras at 3 more sites in York. The revelation comes only days after it was revealed that the only existing camera site on Coppergate has confirmed a very low level of abuse of the access restrictions there.

Now the Council says that it will install cameras at:

Foss Islands Road

  • Foss Islands Road Retail park
  • Shipton Road by Rawcliffe Bar &
  • Low Poppleton Lane (replacing the existing, unreliable, rising bollard)

The cameras are intended to enforce bus lane access restrictions.

The Council has published a list of 9 further locations which the cameras may also be introduced.

Shipton Road

The bus companies have told the Council that journey times area not adversely affected at present by vehicles misusing bus lanes in the City.

Cameras cost £15,000 per location.

In addition, there are some ongoing maintenance and fine processing costs plus the cost of improving signage (£10,000).

The cameras require very clear warning signage (the first attempt at ANPR enforcement on Coppergate failed this test).

Vehicles must travel 50m in the bus lane to trigger a penalty.

Shipton Road

The Low Poppleton Lane plans are likely to be particularly scrutinised.

The rising bollard dates for the days when sugar beet lorries used to deliver in the area.

Now it simply prevents a “short cut”.

The whole area needs a comprehensive management plan as part of the proposed redevelopment of the old school/sugar factory site. Plans are recommended for approval at a planning committee meeting taking pace next week (click here)

Road maintenance and improvement works on the A19 Shipton Road have been extended to 19 May.

This is to allow for further repairs along this route prior to the resurfacing works which are due to be happen on the 23 May.

The work was originally expected to take two weeks to complete, from 24 April. To minimise disruption work will take place from 9.15am – 3.45pm.

In order to carry out these works safely stop and go traffic management will be operating whilst work is taking place.

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A19 Shipton Road improvements

City of York Council will be carrying out road maintenance and improvement works on the A19, Shipton Road from Monday 24 April.

The work is expected to take two weeks to complete, weather permitting. To minimise disruption work will take place from 9.15am – 3.45pm.

In order to carry out these works safely stop and go traffic management will be operating whilst work is taking place.
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