The council has now received the planning application for the Yorspace Community Build scheme for the former Lowfield School site. This is on the former school site rather than the playing fields which as part of the overall planning permission for the site has ‘exported’ our recreational space to help Bishopthorpe with additional pitches in the Sim Balk Lane area.
Yorspace plan
It emerged late on Friday night (18/1/19) that council officers had authorised the sale of the land for £300,000
In the planning application there are a total of 19 housing units being developed which are 3 one bed (flats), 7 two bed (two flats and 5 houses) 6 three bed houses, and 3 four bed houses (one for private rental). The tallest buildings would be three storey and 9.2 m high. For transport there will be 40 secure bike storage units, 26 Sheffield hoops, 12 car parking spaces. The design work for the proposals are more detailed than the ‘boxlike’ council design for the Playing Fields housing estate, and are of much greater environmental standards with more renewable power being designed into the homes.
Local area
The plans can be seen via the following link
Comments on the Planning Application will need to be received by the council by Friday 1st February.
A number of residents have already contacted the Westfield Ward Team to raise some issues and so it is likely to have to go to planning committee for decision.
Information on Yorspace can be obtained from
Example of house plan
Comments from the officer decision on the sale of land;
“Agreement to sell 0.765 acres of land at the former Lowfield School site in the Westfield Ward, off from Dijon Avenue to Yorspace community benefit society. Land is to be sold for £300,000 plus an additional fee for construction of parking spaces and roads on the north of the plot. Completion of the sale is conditional upon YorSpace getting full planning approval for 19 units of accommodation and the council providing the site serviced to an agreed level. The land is to be sold on a freehold basis. This decision follows an Executive decision in December 2016 to sell one acre of land at the Lowfield site for self-build and community housing, as well as an officer decision in August 2017 to enter into an exclusivity agreement with Yorspace for part of this land.”
“The sale of land to YorSpace will be guided by Section123 of the Local Government Act 1972 which authorises the Council to dispose of non-housing land at the best consideration reasonably obtainable or for less than best consideration/full open market value provided that: (i) the difference between the price obtained and full market value does not exceed £2 million AND (ii) the Council (acting reasonably and properly considers) that the disposal will facilitate the improvement of economic, environmental or social well-being of the area.”
“The group will be constructing 19 units of housing that will be held by the community benefit society meaning that no individuals can profit from the activity. The Mutual Home Ownership Society housing model they use is designed as such that they will be economically accessible to lower income families and the affordability of the homes is maintained in perpetuity.”