December 2020 Issue No 15
Email: chair@cwra.co.uk
If you are not already a member of the Residents’ Association, please go to cwra.co.uk and click on Join Us. It is free and guarantees you get our Newsletters.
____________________________________________________________________
In this edition
- Chocolate Works Carols – Sunday 13th December
- Winter gritting of the highway and pavements of The Chocolate Works
- Bayldon Square trees – update
- Repairs to block paving
- Proposal to maintain house gutters/rainwater channels
- Review of car parking signage
- Cyclists
- Pedestrian safety at the Campleshon Road/Bishopthorpe Road junction
- New waste/dog poo bins near the school
- McCarthy & Stone proposal to build managed care apartments on the car park on Bishopthorpe Road opposite The Residence
- Update from David Wilson Homes (DWH)
- Co-op to open on the development in time for Christmas 2021
____________________________________________________________________
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all residents
at The Chocolate Works
We hope everyone is able to enjoy a Merry (and safe) Christmas and here is hoping that next year will be much, much better for everyone.
____________________________________________________________________
Chocolate Works Carols
The Chocolate Works Social Group has organised carols, complete with mulled wine – see poster below. Contact Clare on 07931 179281 or register interest via the Facebook page so that they have an idea of numbers.
Winter Gritting
Watson have confirmed that they are employing a firm to grit the development (when temperatures are predicted to go below 0˚C). It will be done at no additional cost to residents.
____________________________________________________________________
Bayldon Square Trees
DWH replaced two trees on Bayldon Square this week. While we are pleased, there is also some disappointment as we had understood that all the trees would be replaced.
DWH states that the Managing Director of their Landscape Contractors believes the remaining trees are healthy. However, the root balls of the trees which were removed were covered in their original nylon netting, which had restricted development.
Consequently, DWH will examine the root balls of the remaining trees to assist them in determining whether they should also be replaced. The situation will continue to be monitored.
____________________________________________________________________
Repairs to block paving
After a number of reminders, DWH have repaired the block paving in the residents’ parking area off Joseph Terry Grove.
____________________________________________________________________
House gutters/rainwater channels proposed maintenance programme
A number of residents have expressed concerns about the inaccessibility of the gutters of houses and worries that these might fail. Indeed, a number of people have already experienced leaks into bedrooms from either cracks to the rainwater channel, or due to blockages caused by leaves and other detritus.
With this in mind we have contacted a contractor who has given us a quotation for maintaining the gutters of the houses on the development. We will shortly be sending out letters to all houses outlining the process and associated costs, and we believe that it is a cost effective way to provide peace of mind.
NB This is NOT an issue for apartment blocks. Watson undertakes to manage these.
____________________________________________________________________
Car parking signage
A meeting is planned with Watson and Autosec to review and hopefully rationalise the number of parking signs and their design.
____________________________________________________________________
Cyclists
Cyclists are politely requested not to cycle down the grass embankment adjacent to the steps going down to Bishopthorpe Road. As well as safety issues, this is causing damage to the landscaping.
____________________________________________________________________
Pedestrian safety at the Bishopthorpe Road/Campleshon Road junction
We have recently submitted our second request to City of York Council for an urgent review of the traffic safety at this junction and provision of safe pedestrian crossing. The arguments for this include poor visibility at the junction due to parked cars; the high speed of cars coming from Bishopthorpe; and a marked increase in pedestrian traffic from residents at this development and The Residence.
An accident at this junction on Thursday 3rd December (reported in the York Press) further increases the case which is also being made by Councillor Crawshaw and the Headmistress of Knavesmire Primary School.
Pictured at the junction, from left, parents Sarah Fitsell and Ian & Lowra Kitchingman,
Cllr Jonny Crawshaw and Knavesmire Head of School, Hannah Gibson
Picture: George Dodd
(From York Press 04/12/20)
____________________________________________________________________
Waste/DogPoo Bins (Campleshon Road)
You may have noticed new waste bins at the Lorne Street, and Trafalgar Street ends of Knavesmire Primary School on Campleshon Road. These came as a response to requests by residents who attended the annual review of the policing of York Races in October last year. They only took a year to arrive!
____________________________________________________________________
McCarthy and Stone plan to redevelop car park into
Retirement Living Plus accommodation
McCarthy and Stone have just started the first stage of consultation on their proposal to provide Retirement Living Plus (for the over 70s) accommodation on the vacant car park (known locally as the Kraft car park) on Bishopthorpe Road opposite The Residence. They plan to have a one week public exhibition in the near future.
Their proposal, which they hope to submit before Christmas, includes
- 73 apartments (43 x 1 bed and 30 x 2 bed)
- 41 parking spaces
- 92 additional parking spaces, on 2 levels, for 3rd parties (The Liquor Store, Clock Tower apartments etc).
There are concerns about, among other things
- over-development in the area
- even more traffic on Bishopthorpe Road
- the effect on the adjacent cycle route
- a marked increase in pedestrian traffic crossing an already busy road
- the impact on the current GP services as well as the already existing need for new GP premises.
We will continue to engage in consultation and keep people informed.
____________________________________________________________________
Current Membership figures of the Residents’ Association
We currently have 107 CWRA members out of 244 occupied properties. We are glad to have you on board and hope you feel informed. If you would like to become more involved or have any suggestions, please get in touch via the website.
____________________________________________________________________
Update from David Wilson Homes
- The road surface on Joseph Terry Grove, up to Thistle House, is due to be completed before Christmas.
- Sales have gone well, and only five apartments remain unsold.
- It is expected that new residents will arrive in the houses on Robert Street from February 2021, once the rear parking courtyards are completed.
- It remains the aim to complete all building by November 2021, with the process of handing over sewerage and roads to the Council completed by Spring 2023.
____________________________________________________________________
Finally, it has been confirmed that the Co-op has won the contract
to open a retail outlet on the development
DWH has confirmed that contracts have been exchanged with the Co-op. It is anticipated that they will open a store in the current Sales Office space by November 2021.