Latest planning applications for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward including changes to community medical care site at Askham Bar

Click for further details of community health facility proposals on Tadcaster Road

Below are the latest planning applications from the York Council for the Dringhouses and Woodthorpe ward.

Full details can be found by clicking the application reference

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111 Dringthorpe Road York YO24 1LF

Single storey rear extension 

Ref. No: 24/02196/FUL 

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Askham Bar Tadcaster Road Dringhouses York

Retention of temporary buildings and erection of additional temporary structures as a Primary Care Medical Centre (use class E(e)) with associated parking and access for a period of 24 months 

Ref. No: 24/02106/FULM 

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Representations can be made in support of, or in objection to, any application via the Planning online web site.  http://planningaccess.york.gov.uk/online-applications/

The Council does not routinely consult neighbours by letter when an application is received

Housing still planned for former Park & Ride site

It is still the plan for the former Askham Bar Park & Ride site to be used for housing, according to a report discussed at a meeting of the council’s Executive on 17 March. The report is available HERE

The site was allocated for housing in the draft Local Plan, but over recent years it has played a vital role in supporting firstly the flu vaccination programme and then the Covid vaccination campaign. The site is likely to continue to be used by Nimbuscare well into next year and is unlikely to be available for development for at least 20 months.

The report notes that the site is not straightforward to develop, with a large sewer running underneath the middle of the site.

Executive members reaffirmed the future use of the site for housing and asked officers to undertake further work to explore different options for delivering a scheme on the site that would deliver a minimum of 40% affordable housing and deliver a zero carbon in-use development, with the potential for delivering other community uses alongside this.

Cllr Stephen Fenton has welcomed the confirmation about the future plans for the site, and in particular the possibility of community facilities being provided.

“The work that the Nimbuscare team has done on this site over the past two years has been incredible and that work will continue, but it is now time to actively plan for the longer-term use of the site. I am pleased that the council has reaffirmed its commitment to provide much-needed new housing on the site, and I very much welcome the reference to possible community provision. There is a lack of community facilities in this part of Dringhouses – including healthcare – and this site could help address that deficit. I look forward to working with officers and residents to help shape the future of this important site.”

Recycling banks overflow

Cllr Stephen Fenton has reported the tetrapak and bottle banks at Askham Bar Tesco that are overflowing. The responses received are summarised below.

Bottle banks

GRUK, the company which empties these banks, reported difficulties with their vehicles on Tuesday 6th April and are not able to collect until Monday 12th.

As an interim measure, Yorwaste have provided some wheeled bins, labelled appropriately, so that there is at least some provision for glass recycling before GRUK return.

Tetrapak bank

ACE, the company who empty the carton bank, are having difficulty with their vehicles and are not able to collect until the week commencing 12th April. Some stickers have been placed on the bank in the hope of dissuading residents from leaving cartons on site.

Cardboard banks

The second cardboard bank has returned after having to be repainted following an arson attack. The banks continue to fill up quickly, not helped by some residents who don’t bother to flatten boxes before putting them in the bank.

Changes to Askham Bar Park & Ride service

First York has announced changes to some aspects of the operation of the number 3 Askham Bar Park & Ride service from Sunday 17 January.

The changes have been prompted by the use of part of the Park & Ride site to support the operation of the COVID vaccination centre located at the former Park & Ride site.

Buses will no longer leave the Park & Ride site via the bus-only road but will instead enter and leave via the Askham Bar entrance/exit towards Tadcaster Road (see the red line on the map). This will not affect where you board the bus from. On journeys towards Askham Bar, services will stop at the Moor Lane Car Park (red ‘X’ near the top of the map) instead of the Tesco Car Park.

Former Park & Ride site set for Flu vaccination role

Signs have been erected at the former Askham Bar Park & Ride site announcing that it will close on 24 September and will then be used by the NHS as a ‘mass flu vaccination site.’

Coming soon to Askham Bar

Cllr Stephen Fenton noticed on 17 September that signs had gone up and that the car park had benefited from a deep clean. A worker on site said that he had spent four days doing a thorough litter pick and cutting back vegetation which had taken over many of the parking bays.

Deep cleaned car park

Stephen has asked for clarification on how the site will operate, as it currently serves as a cut-through for residents going to and from the Tesco store.

It is understood that the site is being mobilised to create additional vaccination capacity on the back of the announcement that, in addition to the normal flu vaccination programme, 50 to 64-year-olds who do not have a health condition putting them at risk of the flu will also be eligible for a free flu vaccine. 

Since its transformation from a Park & Ride site into a £4 per day City of York Council Pay & Display car park, the site has been very little used. It was often strewn with litter, which volunteers tried to keep on top of, and was the venue for some late evening ‘boy racer’ meet-ups.

In the draft Local Plan the site is earmarked for housing.

Recycling banks temporarily out of action

The recycling banks at the Askham Bar Tesco car park are likely to be out of use for the next two weeks as car park resurfacing work gets underway.

The banks are to be removed by Yorwaste but will be reinstated when the resurfacing work is completed. The work is much-needed, as many sections of tarmac in this corner of the car park have disintegrated and the area was becoming a mudbath.

The resurfacing work has been organised by Tesco.

Askham Bar litter pick success

Cllr Stephen Fenton led a team of local volunteers on a litter pick in the Askham Bar area on Sunday 7th October. Most of the 30 bags of litter collected came from the old Park & Ride car park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The team also tackled the ‘orphan’ concrete bin near to the petrol station, which both City of York Council and Tesco deny responsibility for.

 

Action to tackle Askham Bar flytipping

Local Lib Dem councillor Stephen Fenton is leading efforts to tackle flytipping at the recycling banks at the Askham Bar Tesco car park.

There are persistent problems with household waste being dumped here, and there is an accumulation of litter around the recycling banks. The popularity of the clothes and shoes recycling banks has also led to bags of donations being dumped next to the full bins.

Dumping at Yorkshire Air Ambulance clothing banks

Household waste flytipped

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 20 August Stephen arranged a meeting on site with representatives from Yorwaste, City of York Council and Tesco to discuss the problems and what can be done to improve the situation. Actions arising from the meeting included checking on the frequency of emptying recycling banks which are sometimes overflowing, and exploring options for more proactive enforcement to increase the chances of catching flytippers.

It was noted that the return of the second cardboard bank has helped to improve matters in recent weeks.

Stephen commented  “There are many parties involved in the maintenance and management of this site – for example, a range of different companies are responsible for emptying the variety of banks. It was good to get some of the key players together to discuss the problems and try to come up with a plan.

“It’s important that when flytipping is spotted, the council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement Team is notified via neo@york.gov.uk or tel. 01904 551555. They can then look for evidence which will help to identify the cuplrit.”

Stephen has made contact with two of the companies responsible for emptying the donation banks for Yorkshire Air Ambulance (clothes) and Variety Club (shoes) following a build-up of donations piled up against the bins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The response from both firms was positive. SOEX UK Ltd, which manages the shoe bank, confirmed that it will take steps to ensure that it is emptied every Tuesday. Bag It Up Ltd, which manages the clothes bank, stated that they are looking into these issues and tweaking schedules to get on top of any sites that have overflow issues.

Stephen said “I’m pleased with the quick response from the firms that look after the clothing and shoe banks, and their commitment to action. If any residents want to donate but find that the banks are full, please take the bags home and do not dump them next to the bins.”

Askham Bar litter bin relocated

A litter bin next to the Askham Bar recycling banks has been removed, after it became a magnet for persistent flytipping.

Flytipping at Askham Bar

The bin has been relocated to Thanet Road, next to the bus stop opposite Eason View. Rather than relocate the old battered bin, it has been upgraded to a new dual use litter / dog waste bin.

New bin on Thanet Road