September 2021 Issue No 22
Email: chair@cwra.co.uk
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- David Wilson Sales Office / Co-op
David Wilson Homes will vacate the Sales Office on 31 October 2021. The Co-op will immediately commence work on a refit with the goal of being open for Christmas. The parking spaces outside will become the responsibility of the Co-op.
The Co-op’s appeal against the opening hours was unsuccessful, so it will not open before 7am and will close at 10pm.
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- Wasps
There have been two issues relating to wasp nests on the development over recent weeks, and it is apparent that there are large numbers at this time of year. You can contact Watson if you have an issue and they will send their approved pest control firm out, and bill the householder. However, York Council use Vermex, a local firm, at a much better price.
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- Roofs
David Wilson Homes (DWH) has confirmed all roof GRP channels including houses, garages, balconies and apartments have an insurance backed 10 year warranty by the Poly Group. A certificate for each household to be circulated in due course. In the meantime, DWH will continue to address issue which are brought to their attention.
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- Bishopthorpe Road Residents’ Parking Scheme
A Residents’ Parking Scheme will soon be in place on Bishopthorpe Road, from the junction of Campleshon Road up to The Residence. This was approved by City of York Council on 11th August 2021, and will apply once signs have been put in place and parking bays have been marked out (no confirmed dates are yet available). We asked if residents at The Chocolate Works could apply for permits, but they have been expressly excluded from the scheme, partly because our roads are not currently managed by the Council and partly because the Council believe we may want to apply for our own Residents’ Parking Scheme at some point in the future.
This scheme will affect all residents who currently park cars in this area, and will put further pressure on parking within the development and on Campleshon Road. Applications for Residents’ Parking Schemes within the nearby side streets are also believed to be in progress.
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- BaySentry Parking Management
Following a small number of concerns voiced by residents about the nuances of our own parking management, we have asked Watson to liaise with BaySentry and to review and clarify the current scheme in relation to (among other things) information given when purchasing properties, and the TP1 document which residents should have received from their solicitors when purchasing.
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- Landscaping (Watson)
The new gardening firm has settled in and appear to be doing a more thorough job than the previous incumbents. They will start to weed and feed lawns in the autumn, as well as re-seeding affected grass verges.
They have also been consulting about completing the planting and design in the grass area adjacent to the Chocolate Orange in Bayldon Square. More information on this should be available in due course.
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- Landscaping (David Wilson Homes)
DWH are completing a planting plan and are also in receipt of one from the CWRA which identifies all planting gaps and damaged trees. They will, among other things –
- Replace four trees in Bayldon Square
- Fix a plaque on the base of the Chocolate Orange now that the wording has been agreed
- Grass the verge adjacent to the Care Home prior to completion of the development
- Complete the missing areas of planting between Cocoa House and the Race Course field
- Make good the embankment adjacent to Bishopthorpe Road, South of Thistle House
- Spend £15,000 on the boundaries of the development including work on damage and dangerous trees
- Review the situation with the laurel hedging from the steps into Bishopthorpe Road towards the Care Home
- Create gravel paths to certain gas meters which are affected by planting (Cocoa House being one example).
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- David Wilson Homes Completion of Works
DWH still aim for completion by Christmas, although they acknowledge that this is looking increasingly optimistic. Nonetheless, they –
- Have only 10 more units to sell (8 apartments and 2 houses)
- Are now doing an audit of outstanding works in preparation for adoption by the council eg they are now checking the sewers.
- Have started to fit the two missing street lights from the top of Robert Street.
- Are currently doing a landscaping audit (mentioned above)
- Hope to complete the pedestrian access through to the Residence (at the top of both Robert Street and Clock Tower Way) by Christmas. Although some liaison is necessary with P.J. Livesey to co-ordinate the groundworks.
- Will conduct a road safety audit which may include speed limit signs and explicit messaging that Robert Street is a designated “Home Zone”
- Will NOT be putting up a Christmas tree, or lights, this year.
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