Severus Hills housing proposal set to be refused planning permission

It looks like residents are set to win their battle to prevent the development of a key site near Lindsey Avenue.

Yorkshire Housing want to build 43 affordable homes next to the landmark water tower.

Severus Hills comprises a 1.66 hectare partially wooded site occupying a prominent hill top location to the north west of the City Centre. It was formerly occupied by a, partially below ground, reservoir.

The site is a notified SINC (Site of Interest for Nature Conservation) on the basis of providing a calcareous grassland habitat.

Now planning officials are recommending that the application be refused. 159 letters of objections had been received by the Council.

Officials conclude that the development would “by virtue of its overbearing nature would give rise to substantial harm to the residential amenity of adjacent properties within Howe Hill Close”

The planning meeting is taking place on Thursday

More delays at Windsor Garth “Hob Stones” development

Hobstones building work The media are reporting that there will be further delays before the “Hob Stones” development will be occupied. The development, located on the former Our Lady’s school site next to Hob Moor, has been branded the unluckiest development in Yorkshire.

The school closed in 2012

The high density development was subject to objections from local residents and amenity groups when it sought planning permission in 2013.

Building work started in May 2014.

Still no sign of repair to the carriageway in Windsor Garth

Later the appointed building contractors went bust adding another 18 months to the development timetable.

Now it appears that some of the houses, and an access road, have not been built in the correct positions. Although the variances are claimed to be very small it means that a retrospective planning application will be needed to regularise the situation.

This will mean a further delay of about 3 months before the homes are occupied.

The development has been heavily criticised by neighbouring residents who have lived with a “nightmare” of poorly parked vehicles, road damage and congestion caused by building trucks for the last three years.

At the time of writing no revised planning application had been submitted by the developers Yorkshire Housing to the York Council.

Council in Reynard’s garage land swap

The Council is expected tomorrow to agree to swap land at Bouthwaite Drive for a plot located next to the Reynard’s garage site on Piccadilly.

Bouthwaite Drive site – click to access

The latter is owned by the Yorkshire Housing Ltd who are seeking to exchange it for an access strip adjacent to Severus Hill.

Apparently they hope to develop land there.

Yorkshire Housing are currently struggling to complete the Hob Stones development in Windsor Garth. No details of the Bouthwaite Avenue plans have been released.

Permission was recently granted for the demolition of the Reynard’s garage and the Council Executive meeting taking place on 29^th October is expected to consider a master plan for the whole Piccadilly area (now dubbed the “Southern Gateway”)

The same meeting is being asked to remove a restrictive covenant which currently prevents some offices located at Clifton Moor from being converted into flats

NB Two pubs, The Derwent Arms in Osbaldwick and the Swan in Bishopgate Street, are likely to be added to the local list of “assets of community value“. The listing provides the local community with an opportunity to bid for the properties should they come onto the market.

Esh Construction to take over “Hobstone” development

Yorkshire Housing has appointed new contractors to complete homes at three developments which had been on hold due to contractor Southdale Homes going into administration.

Esh Construction will take over work at Hob Stone which is located off Windsor Garth in York.

Work on the site is expected to recommenced later in July. Some of the properties are expected to be occupied before the end of the year.

18 months ago, the development met a lot of opposition when it was revealed that the Labour Council would almost double the number of houses to be built on the former school site.

Since then, progress has been very slow with growing concerns about the development’s impact on the neighbouring Hob Moor nature area as well as pressures on local transport systems