Footpath closed. Queue forms
The Hob Moor to Tadcaster Road cycle/pedestrian route under the East Coast Railway line is now closed.
The closure is poorly signed from the Gale Lane and Windsor Garth access points onto the cycle path.
There is a diversion signed from Hob Moor Terrace but not using a route that visitors would find easy to follow.
click for larger map
Developers plan to tear down Our Lady’s housing site railings.
They say it will improve “permeability”
Retention of the railings was considered to be important by local residents, and supporters of the Hob Moor conservation area, as it provided some guarantee that domestic use would not creep onto the moor.
The railings will also provide good quality security for the gardens of the residents of the new homes.
The railings are relatively new and have a longer life than the proposed close boarded wooden alternative.
Details can be found by clicking here
The Council have not given a date by which residents objections must be received although they hope to determine the new planning application (using delegated powers) on 25th June.
The pedestrian and cycle tunnel under the East Coast main railway line will be closed from tomorrow for 3 weeks.
The closure – which has not been widely advertised – is in connection with major electricity supply cable work taking place in the area
The tunnel forms part of the orbital cycle route which is used by hundreds of cyclists each day.
NB. Powergrid have also given notice of a supply cut in the Foxwood Lane area on Monday 16th June from 10:00am to 2:00pm
A fire has broken out at the former Our Lady’s school building on Windsor Garth.
The building has been empty for over a year and was due to be demolished this week.
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.
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
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
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.
Our Lady’s school site Windsor Garth
The Council has received details of how the developer intends to fulfil the planning conditions applied to the Our Lady’s school site development
Details of the Section 106 agreement for the development of the site have now been published. They reveal that of the 55 properties to be built on the site, 20 will be for social rent (housing association) while 21 will be at an “affordable” rent (usually 80% of the market rent).
click for more information
The agreement allows the developer to pay a commuted sum to the Council instead of providing – through a social landlord – the rented accommodation on site.
The landlord is obliged to offer a free bus pass or free bicycle to the first occupier of the dwelling. Each property will have an external power socket to allow the recharging of electric vehicles.
The agreement also specifies the working hours for the site but is vague about access routes and – critically – to what extent plant will be allowed to move around Hob Moor itself.
Approved plan for Hob Moor site click to enlarge
The controversial house building plans for the former Our Lady’s school site on Windsor Garth were approved by the Planning Committee last night. It appears though that the scheme may now be referred to the Secretary of State for his views.
Although the revised plans were an improvement on those originally submitted, it remains a very dense development which will add further pressures to public services in the area.
No provision has been made to provide additional parking spaces for those vehicles which will be displaced from the access road.
Astonishingly no restrictions were imposed by the committee on the use of tracked plant outside the line of the existing railings, opening up the possibility that – in wet conditions – parts of the Moor adjacent to the site might be subject to severe damage.
Although most of the existing metal railings area now being retained – allowing the existing trees and bushes to remain in place as a visual screen – on the north side of the site a new wooden fence will be installed.
No reason has been given for replacing the railings with this inferior fence, which is likely to provide less security for both residents and the Moor.
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click to enlarge
The application has been updated to reduce the number of properties by one, incorporate a small play area and retain the existing railings around part of the site.
These changes were notified to interested parties (previous objectors) on 4th December.
The changes will be welcomed by many residents.
The Council is also reducing its S106 payment requirements to reflect the on site “open space” provision but – without explanation – also scraps the payment of a commuted sum in lieu of the provision of school places.
click to access
Yorkshire Housing have submitted revised proposals for the development of the Our Ladys site following the deferral of their application at the last planning committee meeting.
They can be viewed on the “Planning on Line” web site under reference 13/02892/FULM
The plans involve the retention of most of the perimeter railings although in one key section on the northern boundary (where security and landscape appearance are sensitive issues) they propose to remove them. The new fencing is described as being at “a lower level”
No justification for removing the railings from this section is included in the papers.
This raises the concern that the developers hope to move plant onto the site via Hob Moor itself. This could result in damage which would take decades to repair.
The existing, and supplemented, shrubs and trees along the boundary would be protected by a post and rail fence.
click to access plans
The new proposals result in the loss of one housing unit meaning that 55 are now likely to be built on the site. This is still a lot more than the 29 units which were included in the draft Local Plan when it was published in April.
The appearance of the homes is little changed.
A small play ground aimed at young children, plus an area of Public Open Space, is now included towards the north west of the development.
There have been changes to the road layout
However no changes to the “sustainability” of the development are proposed.
The architect has written to the Council to say that “My client has carried out exhaustive viability appraisals on the site; however, the jump to Code level 4 on this development cannot be achieved.
As you are aware the site was purchased on the open market in competition with Private developers who would be delivering the minimum Affordable housing across the site at Code 3.
We are policy compliant at code 3 and offering a much improved level of affordable housing with the required 10% renewables”.
Have a higher “sustainability” rating would mean that the homes were cheaper to run.