New Developments
1,400 new homes planned at former British Sugar site
Monday 19th April 2010 - Exclusive By Mike Laycock
A MASTERPLAN is being drawn up for one of York's biggest ever housing developments at the former British Sugar factory.
Site owners Associated British Foods have appointed PRP architects to guide the redevelopment of the 100-acre site, which could provide up to 1,400 new homes.
Such a project would be bigger than York's Germany Beck and Derwenthorpe schemes combined. It would help tackle York's chronic housing shortage, create hundreds of jobs and provide a major boost to the economy, but could also generate additional traffic on busy roads.
Associated British Foods, parent company of British Sugar, said the site off Boroughbridge Road was being separated from the nearby York Central site to avoid it being caught up by delays dogging the Central project.
Keith Preedy, group property manager, said the company had asked architects PRP to draw up a draft masterplan, working with City of York Council and planning consultants, traffic experts and ecologists.
He said there would be extensive public consultation this summer before the draft was presented to the council in the autumn.
He said: "It has been estimated that such a development could generate between 1,300 and 1,400 homes, primarily family housing."
A detailed land analysis has already started and an outline planning application could be submitted in 2011.
Mr Preedy said that, if consent were obtained, ABF would intend selling off the site as a whole or in parcels to a developer. Plans for an "eco-community" would require substantial public sector funding.
He did not believe accessing the site would be a major factor, and one possibility would be the creation of a new transport corridor through the site.
The 540-home Derwenthorpe model village scheme at Osbaldwick and the 700-home Germany Beck scheme at Fulford have both met with fierce local opposition, and neither has yet got off the ground.
York council leader Andrew Waller confirmed the British Sugar site would now be developed in parallel with York Central.
He said a significant part of the development could be an eco-settlement if funding was obtained from the Homes and Communities Agency, for which there was cross-party support. He said he was very keen for local people to develop the necessary skills to ensure they could take up employment opportunities presented by the development.
Acomb councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing welcomed the news, but said residents would have concerns about space and access.
• PRP is an award-winning architectural practice specialising in residential, specialist housing, mixed use, commercial, retail, health care, hotel, education and leisure developments.
Its masterplanning work includes new communities, regeneration, specialist housing and mixed use schemes, often involving the regeneration of urban areas or the design of sustainable new communities. One of its masterplans was for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's Derwenthorpe scheme.
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One of the biggest sites ever to be developed in York could benefit from a huge Government funding boost.
York Central and the British Sugar site, off Boroughbridge Road - dubbed York Northwest by the council - have been included in a bid for a £300 million community regeneration fund.
Council leaders from across Yorkshire have submitted a bid to the Government for sites in the Leeds City Region - which includes York and parts of North Yorkshire - to be awarded "new growth points" (NGP) status.
This status would allow them access to funding and support for the early development of key housing and regeneration work.
A fund has been set aside by the Government specifically to get new growth points off the ground quickly.
Four key locations, each with opportunities to deliver more than 5,000 homes, have been put forward, including York Northwest. Four further, secondary locations have also been proposed.
Coun Steve Galloway, leader of City of York Council, welcomed the bid. "We are supportive of the site being established as a growth point." he said.
"It's only an expression of interest at the moment of course, but it has the advantage that not only would we qualify for access to this £300 million community regeneration fund, but we would also get preferential treatment on the allocation of resources in transport, health, education and leisure."
The bid was this week submitted to the Department for Communities and Local Government.
A spokeswoman for the Leeds City Region said NGP status had previously only been available in the South. The Government agreed to roll-out the programme to the rest of the country in July, following new national targets for housing.
"Being awarded NGP status raises the profile of areas identified as priorities for regeneration and housing development," she said. "It enables local authorities and city regions to lever in additional private and public sector investment for transport and other infrastructure support to tackle constraints hampering their early development."
The successful NGP bids are expected to be announced by the Government early next year.
Consultation on the future of the York Northwest site began on Monday, with the council distributing about 4,000 leaflets to homes adjoining the site.
Hungate 'Phase II' set for approval
Plans for commercial developments and more than 150 homes at York's landmark Hungate development will go before city councillors next week.
City of York Council's planning committee will consider an application by Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd (HYRL) for phase two of its scheme.
The application is for 154 new apartments, and seven commercial units.
Outline planning permission has already been given for a mixed-use development on the site, but the plans going before the council next week represent a change, with an extra 400 square metres of commercial space.
Phil Darcy, managing director of Crosby Lend Lease, speaking on behalf of HYRL, said: "Work on the first phase of the new urban neighbourhood - involving a mixture of apartments and townhouses - is progressing very well with completions scheduled for late 2008."
"Off-plan sales have been particularly strong and there is considerable interest from prospective buyers visiting our on-site marketing suite."
"The second phase of the development, which is due to be considered by the City of York Council next Thursday, includes 154, one, two and three-bed apartments together with 12,000 square feet of retail and leisure space."
"The reserved matters application is in accordance with the design brief and outline planning permission granted in July 2005."
The plans refer to block E on Hungate, which is a five-storey structure near the River Foss.
The River Foss Society said the building would be too close to the river, but council officers have recommended it for approval, subject to minor details being agreed later with the council.
The report to the committee states: "Officers are content with the massing and size of the development and its external appearance (as revised), the development would provide a reasonable level amenity for its occupants and those around. The proposed river walkway and internal landscaping scheme each respect the details agreed at outline stage and the design codes and principles of the overall site. The amount of resident's and staff covered cycle parking are adequate. The amount and type of housing, including affordable accommodation, is also supported."
Housing chiefs have completed the first stage of a massive land survey in York, to identify sites for more than 18,000 new homes.
City of York Council has drawn up a list of 66 sites where new properties will, or could, be built, to help cater for the city's rising population.
The list includes 27 where planning permission has already been granted, and 39 that council officers say have potential.
Among the possible development sites are York City FC's Kit Kat Crescent home; the British Sugar site; the area around Castle Piccadilly; the council's landmark St Leondard's Place buildings; Terry's; Nestlé South; and the current Manor and Lowfield School sites.
A report to be considered by the council's local development framework working group next week predicts capacity for between 17,014 and 18,310 homes in York between 2004 and 2029.
Government predictions are that the city needs to build 18,660 in that time, but Dave Caulfield, the council's head of city development, said it was likely new sites would come available over time to plug the gap.
The next stage is for the council to carry out detailed assessment of the 39 potential sites, to calculate how many homes can be built on each.
Other landowners will also be approached in a "call for sites" to see if there are other areas that could be explored for development.
Mr Caulfield said: "This is the planning authority trying to get the best information on file regarding sites available, and put them through methodologically to see if they are suitable for housing."
"It builds up a picture of what potential there is out there."
The council's housing targets are set through the Government's regional spatial strategy. That says York should build 840 homes a year until 2008, and 850 a year thereafter.
Mr Caulfield said new sites often emerged suddenly, as in the case of the old Terry's and British Sugar Sites, and said: "We are reasonably confident that once we have been through the whole process and identified all resources we will be close to the figure."
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