January 2024 Issue No 37
Email: chair@cwra.co.uk
Happy New Year to you all!
If you are not already a member of the Chocolate Works Residents’ Association (CWRA), please go to www.cwra.co.uk and click on Join Us. It is currently free and guarantees you get our Newsletters. At present we have over 230 active members. Your contributions and feedback are invaluable in helping us identify which issues are of most concern to residents.
New Chair
After several years in the role of Chair of CWRA, Steve Davenport stood down at the end of November 2023. Steve has worked tirelessly on behalf of residents during his tenure, almost all of it unseen, and probably with insufficient gratitude from residents. On behalf of the Committee and, no doubt, residents, we would like to thank him for his work on behalf of us all.
As a temporary measure, Gavin McBurnie of 8 Bayldon Square, has agreed to act as the Chair to ensure continuity and that essential work takes place until the AGM. Please look out for information about when the AGM will take place – probably in March 2024.
But Steve Davenport has not gone away completely. He has agreed to help the green space lead, Norma Rees, with improving the green spaces.
Grounds Maintenance
We are still liaising with Watson on the performance of the current grounds maintenance contractor as they are not fulfilling the agreed specification.
Landscaping
The area behind Thistle House has now been cleared and turfed. We plan to erect an 1800mm chain link fence along the boundary between the old wall and the end of the laurel hedging. This is subject to planning permission, and as an interim measure a temporary fence has been erected to prevent access from Bishopthorpe Road. We will review the pyracanthas hedging once the fence has been erected.
The border around the Care Home has now been turfed, and we still await the removal of the builder’s temporary buildings and equipment from the triangle of land to the right of Thistle House before the landscaping of the area can be undertaken.
The landscaping projects for the Co-op car park and the central beds of Bayldon Square have now been completed. We understand that David Wilson Homes (DWH) will be undertaking remedial work on the Chocolate Orange statue in due course.
We are hoping that David Wilson Homes will make a contribution towards the replacement of box and lavender plants around the development, which will then enable us to proceed with other landscaping projects around the development including Carousel House.
A new laurel hedge has been planted down the steps to Bishopthorpe Road. A second row of laurels will be planted shortly, and new rhododendron plants have been planted either side of the steps alongside the tree belt perimeter.
As part of the adoption process, the shrub planting on the entrance verges and along Clock Tower Way and Joseph Terry Grove will be removed and replaced with turf by DWH to retain uniformity throughout the development. DWH has also agreed to replace those trees that have died around the development including those on Bayldon Square.
We are grateful to Norma Rees for the large amount of work she does for the benefit of our green spaces. In addition, you may have noticed the improvements to the area around the Co-op car park and that work has commenced to improve Bayldon Square. Thanks again to Norma.
Safety Audit
David Wilson Homes has informed us that a safety audit will be undertaken on 25 January by an independent auditor. Much to our disappointment, they have tried to exclude residents from participating in the safety audit. As Chair, Gavin has raised our objections to this exclusion to Ian Wormwell, the site project manager, and to Daniel Smith, CEO of David Wilson Homes. Hopefully, they will allow the CWRA to participate.
In addition, we are trying to arrange a further snagging meeting with David Wilson Homes to look at other issues affecting the site.
Annual General Meeting
As stated earlier the Annual General Meeting will be held soon – probably in March. Please look out for details and the Agenda.
If you would like to consider joining the Committee that would be great. This is meant with absolutely no disrespect to current Committee members who give their time generously and without reward, but the Committee does not appear to fully represent the diverse nature of residents of the estate. As the Committee undertakes important work on behalf of residents, representing the residents’ voice with David Wilson Homes, Watson Property Management and other outside bodies, in order to maintain its legitimacy, it is essential that it is as representative of the community as possible.
If you have questions about what it entails then please don’t hesitate to contact Gavin McBurnie, the chair, at chair@cwra.co.uk for information.
And Finally
From the York Press, The Chocolate Works development was singled out for praise in the Large Housing Development category in the 2023 Brick Awards. The Brick Awards were presented at a glittering ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in the heart of London’s West End with television personality George Clarke as compère. Run by the Brick Development Association, they are the clay brick industry’s Oscars. Keith Aldis, the chief executive officer of the Brick Development Association, said: “The Chocolate Works is one the most striking residential developments in the beautiful and historic city of York in recent years. … The imaginative use of brickwork gives this popular development an individual and timeless character. As a consequence, this was a very strong entry in this year’s Brick Awards.”
Have a great 2024!