Hob Moor development concerns

York-20140522-02012

After only a few days work on site, residents are already raising concerns about the timing and scale of activities being undertaken on the development at the former Our Lady’s school site.

Most concerns related to the removal of mature trees during the nesting season. It appears though that the trees removed so far are in line with the permission granted by the Planning Committee for the scheme, although confirmation of that – and any impact on bats which are known to roost in the area – is awaited.

Some work was apparently taking place on Saturday afternoon. Working hours were restricted by the planning permission.

Another issue raised was the width of the access road from Windsor Garth which is currently narrower than is normally required for access to new developments (5 metres).

Former Council Leader Andrew Waller has written to senior officials at the York Council raising concerns.

The former school buildings are due to be demolished over the next few weeks.

 

 

St John’s University accepts responsibility for womans adultery

wagon Plays

This year the Mystery Plays, presented by the York Guilds and Companies, will be performed on Wagons in York on Sunday 13th and 20th July 2014.

 Volunteers are needed to help sell programmes and see people to their seats.

The plays start at noon and are in two halves therefore a volunteer may work one half only or the full afternoon.

There is also a Music Festival from 17 to 19 July in the City Centre Churches where volunteers are needed to steward for about 2 hours.

If you are interested, contact 01904 481992 or e mail juneparker142@hotmail.com

Responsibility for producing the 12 individual Plays was allocated by the Lord Mayor of York earlier today

  1. Creation of the World to the Fifth Day – The Guild of Building
  2. The Fall of Man – The Gild of Freemen in partnership with Canon Lee School
  3. The Shepherds – The Guild of Scriveners
  4. Slaughter of the Innocents – Heslington Church
  5. The Baptism – A group under the directorship of Laura Rice
  6. The Woman taken in Adultery and The Raising of Lazarus combined into one play – York St John University
  7. Entry into Jerusalem – York Mystery Plays Supporter’s Trust.
  8. Christ before Annas and Caiaphas – The Company of Cordwainersin partnership with York Settlement Community Players
  9. The Crucifixion and The Death of Christ combined as one play – The Company of Butchers in partnership with Parish Church of St Chad on the Knavesmire
  10. The Harrowing of Hell – Parish Church of St Luke the Evangelist
  11. The Resurrection – The Company of Merchant Taylors who will put together a cast under the direction of Lindsay Ibbotson
  12. The Last Judgement – The Company of Merchant Adventurers in partnership with Pocklington School

 

Lendal Bridge and Coppergate – York Council stopped issuing fine notices at the end of March

Coppergate restrictions still not being enforced

ANPR fine notices issued Click to access

ANPR fine notices issued Click to access

A Freedom of Information response has revealed that the York Council stopped issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) – using its ANPR camera information – on 30th March 2014.

That is a week earlier than they admitted in the media at the time.

The figures cast doubts on the claims being made by Labour Councillors early in April when they said the controversial restrictions were still being enforced.

A few days later, senior Council officials clamed that the number of notices issued had been “scaled back” but declined to say by how much or in what way.

In reality it seems that the camera enforcement was abandoned even before the Lendal Bridge restrictions were formally jettisoned on 12th April.

The situation on Coppergate appears to be different, at least in so far as the restrictions remain in place.

However no PCNs have been issued on Coppergate for over 6 weeks.

Contrary to claims made in the media (that the number of drivers ignoring the restrictions was reducing), the latest figures reveal that during March around 50 motorists a day were still being fined on Coppergate.

Things were little better on Lendal Bridge where 2135 motorists were caught on camera during March alone.

The Lendal Bridge trial closure had been due to conclude at the end of February and the Labour Council leadership was heavily criticised for not suspending camera enforcement until the results of the trial had been assessed.

In total 74,000 transgressions had been identified by the cameras before they were abandoned at the end of March.

Coppergate

Coppergate

The Council is now awaiting the results of its appeal against the Traffic Adjudicators ruling that both sets of restrictions were unlawful. If the Council fails to win, then it could face costs of over £1 million with many drivers likely to seek the return of unlawfully imposed fines.

The Appeal could take several more weeks to be concluded.

An Inquiry into the collapse of the whole project is expected to start in the summer using the Council’s “scrutiny” mechanisms.

Although the camera evidence is no longer being used on Coppergate, the restrictions there could – in theory – be enforced by a uniformed police officer.

Monk Stray camping plan abandoned

Monk Stray

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

 

St Nicholas Fayre extends to 3 weeks.

St Nicholas Fayre York

One of the UK’s favourite Christmas markets is extending from four days to over three weeks for the first time in its 23-year and highly successful history.

This year, shoppers can enjoy St Nicholas Fair for fabulous pre-Christmas shopping for 25 days from Thursday 27 November to Sunday 21 December.

There will be a bigger build-up to Christmas this year with increased marketing and promotion, including a special grand opening weekend which will feature across the city centre. There’ll be lots to celebrate, including a rolling programme of different market stalls throughout the Fair, and themed weeks of speciality stall featuring Food, Sparkles and Toys.
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Bike stories coming to York

Bike Story

Yorkshire theatre company 509 Arts has announced the premier in York and tour dates for its free performances of Bike Story, a brand new outdoor theatre production based on stories from the public about cycling.

The show, commissioned by Yorkshire Festival 2014 and presented in association with City of York Council, will tour festivals and town centres throughout Yorkshire. During the run up to this year’s Grand Départ, it will be staged in venues including Rowntree Park in York, Hull, Doncaster, Leeds, Grassington, Saltaire, Ilkley, Harrogate, Halifax and Hebden Bridge and is free to the public.

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Hob Moor development starts

Our Lady's school site clearance started

Our Lady’s school site clearance started

Builders have moved onto the Our Lady’s school site and have started to fell trees.

The Our Lady’s school buildings will be demolished within the next 3 weeks.

School to be demolished in a few days time

School to be demolished in a few days time

Work has already started to provide an electricity power supply to the new housing development.

The whole scheme, which involves the erection of 55 new homes, is expected to take about 12 months to complete.

The building contractors have said that all site traffic will follow the Kingsway West/Ascot Way/ Ashford Place/Windsor Garth bus route to access the site.

Crumbling road surfaces on Windsor Garth

Crumbling road surfaces on Windsor Garth

Residents remain concerned about the poor state of the roads on the route, and in particular the rapidly deteriorating road humps, although whether it would be worth completing permanent repairs before the heavy traffic moves on, is open to question.