British Sugar plans now online – no mention of “large supermarket”

Plans, and “options”, for the redevelopment of the British Sugar site off Boroughbridge Road are now “on line” (click)

click to visit web site and complete survey

click to visit web site and complete survey

The web site claims that;

Redevelopment of the former industrial site can deliver around 1000 new high quality homes, new public open spaces and a community hub which could incorporate a new community hall, sports hall, nursery and primary school.

That is pretty much as expected.

The principle of residential development had enjoyed broad support across the Council.

The main concerns relate to transport issues and the nature, location and scale of any commercial and retail developments.

The consultation concentrates mainly on the location of open space and transport corridors.

It says absolutely nothing about the location and size of any “large supermarket” which Council leaders claimed a couple of weeks ago was an important feature of the scheme.

A small local store to meet the needs of the residents living on the development would be essential.

Another superstore would, however, raise all sorts of transport issues.

The most obvious community facilities (shops) don’t figure on the list of options for the “community hub” listed on the web site.

Nor is there any commercial development which could provide jobs within walking distance of people’s homes. Thus, an opportunity to establish a sustainable community, has been lost.

There are no traffic generation figures listed and the phasing of the development – and community facilities – is also very vague.

There is a final chance to see the plans at an exhibition which is taking place tomorrow Saturday 30 November at the former Manor School site, Low Poppleton Lane, York, YO26 6BB between 11am and 4pm.

Site tours will also be offered to those attending the event.

Dringhouses Local History Group

Programme of events

Christmas call

A Village Christmas – 19 December 2013
Dorothy Reed

Archbishops, Suffragettes and Molecatchers – Bishopthorpe’s Edwardian Summer – 16 January 2014
Linda Haywood

Informal Evening – 20 February 2014

The Irish in York – 20 March 2014
Malcolm Walker

Dringhouses Without – A Walk
– 17 April 2014
Elizabeth Smith

Unless otherwise stated, meetings take place in St Edward the Confessor Church Extension commencing at 7.30pm. All the talks and the AGM are open to everyone.

York Channel TV – more revelations

Details of the bid submitted by the organisation which will run the new “York TV Channel” have been revealed.

The bid can be read on the Ofcom web site (although it is far from easy to find).

click to see full details

click to see full details

There is no evidence on the web site of what action Ofcom took to assess the wishes of York people regarding the editorial policies of any new local TV station.

The reasons for the enthusiasm, shown by the Councils Labour leadership for the new channel, are also now clearer.

They plan to have a studio in the remodelled Guildhall.

The Council is still committed to spending over £1.4 million turning the Guildhall into a “digital media hob”

The York Channel expects to rent space at this new model Guildhall.

The York Channel promises to broadcast the (one party) Council Cabinet meetings and refer to their “partner” organisation Pilot Theatre who rather mysteriously secured the Councils internet beaming contract earlier in the year.

They also claim that the Councils (largely bogus) “Big Survey” will be included in their programming.

They say,
The York Channel will grant unparalleled access to those in power with the live broadcast of Cabinet meetings, interactive ‘meet the politician’ debates, and coverage of local elections.

The station clearly intends to engage in the local political scene.

They say, “Now is an exciting time in politics and York is calling out for a broadcast platform for political debate. The York Channel’s proposed ‘Question Time-style Show’ will debate the issues that matter most to York residents and analysing the policies, decisions and social media posts of local politicians and councillors”.

The station says that it will observe the BBC code of practice on impartiality.

The license applicant requested Ofcom not to release publicly details of the funding arrangements for the new station.

Having a local TV station should provide a boost for the City.

We wish the organisers well in their endeavours to establish a good reputation in the local community.

Lendal Bridge – Council conduct on line poll

Lendal Bridge closure Nov 2013

Attempts by the council’s leadership to justify the Lendal bridge closure on Radio York today are being greeted with derision by most listeners.

The Council have singularly failed to provide update reports on footfall (shopper numbers), accidents, journey times (all classes of vehicle), air quality and the levels of successful appeals against the fines imposed by the number plate recognition cameras.

However they are now conducting an “on line” survey of resident’s views.

The chances are that few will even know that this is going on so the results will be open to manipulation.

Click here to take the survey (it takes only about 1 minute to complete)

Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats survey – conducted through a house to house delivery to 7000 properties in west York – has attracted a large response. Around 10% of the forms have now been returned and analysed. The percentages are now stable. The latest figures are:

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Council bids to prevent repetition of Christmas bins chaos

The York Council is distributing a leaflet to each household explaining how they plan to schedule waste collections over the Christmas period.

Bins in Foxwood 2012

Bins in Foxwood 2012

Last year the service deteriorated in to chaos during the same period.

This year some recycling collections are being cancelled. There will be no collections on New Years Day but there will be a “catch up” on the following Saturday.

The Council have issued the following advice.

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York firm to build new City Archives

William Birch & Sons Ltd of Osbaldwick will build the new city archive at York Explore.

The new archive is part of the Heritage Lottery Fund-supported Gateway to History project to preserve and open up the city’s internationally-important archives to people across the city and indeed the world.

click to download update

click to download update

The works at York Explore will include the construction of a new state-of-the-art conservation store for the archives and a sensitive refurbishment of the existing first floor to create new spaces for people to discover the city’s extensively-recorded history.

Essential work on the roof and floor will also be carried out to on the Grade II listed library building at the same time as installing a new energy-efficient heating system, repairing the roof, refreshing the layout of the ground floor and the very successful café.

The Gateway to History project received a £1.5m HLF grant in December 2012.

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Rubbish skips this weekend in Dringhouses Saturday 30th November

Although the Council has cut back on the number of amenity skips it provides, several residents associations continue to run programmes aimed at making it easier for tenants to get rid of unwanted items.
The skips are only in place for a few minutes and residents must ensure that they put any rubbish into the skips and do not leave it on the path or highway.

1 Dringfield Close 08:30 09:30
2 Pottery Lane 10:30 11:30
3 Lindsey Ave 12:30 13:30
5 Fossway 10:30 11:30
6 Burnsall Drive 12:30 13:30

8 Ganton Place 10:30 11:30

9 St Palinus Church 12:30 13:30