25 January 2016
LEEMAN Road could be re-routed and the Queen Street bridge demolished to improve traffic flows when the massive York Central development gets underway, visitors to a consultation meeting were told.
Fears that the proposed development could cause major traffic problems in west York dominated the first of a series of consultation events.
More than 150 people attended a special joint meeting of the Holgate and Micklegate ward committees at St Paul’s Church in Holgate on Tuesday evening. They were told that Leeman Road could be re-routed, so it would no longer directly link Water End and Lendal Bridge, while the Queen Street bridge could be demolished to make more space around the Railway Station.
The York Central development between Water End, the east coast main line and roads north of Holgate Road is expected to provide between 1,000 and 2,500 homes and 7,000 jobs in high class office accommodation.
Further events will be held during the four-week informal and initial consultation over the site’s infrastructure, including roads and how the land should be allocated to housing and commercial use. Cllr Sonja Crisp, Lord Mayor of York and Holgate councillor said:
“We have a clean slate here, so if you have any ideas as to what to do with the place, say them. Once it is done, it is done. There are going to be some winners and some losers with a massive development like this. We cannot please everyone. As councillors we are asking officers to look at ways to address any detriment for residents.”
People attending the meeting raised questions about how the development would affect traffic in west York, with several concerned about the extra traffic it would create for Holgate Road, which would connect with the main link road into the site.
When Cllr Johnny Hayes asked what council officers estimated for the maximum traffic flow over Holgate Road bridge, he was told officers were modelling various scenarios, depending on how the site was developed.
Other residents raised concerns about the effect on bus routes if Leeman Road loses its city centre exit, the effect of the development on the nearby former British Sugar site on traffic flows, and whether there would be an increase in people from outside York parking in streets in west York and then walking to work.
The National Railway Museum hopes to unite its split site if Leeman Road is rerouted and to increase visitor numbers to 1.5 million a year.
Some residents were concerned about whether there would be sufficient school places and youth facilities and were told a new school and extra facilities could be funded through compulsory grants from the companies that construct the houses and offices.
Neil Ferris, acting director for the council’s environment department, warned
“There is no plan B” if the site’s development fails to generate the business rates which will be spent in advance to fund the creation of the site’s main roads and infrastructure.
He said none of the site had flooded in the Christmas floods.
Council officers were keen for members of the public to join in the consultation by filling in an online form on the council’s website. Comments can also be submitted by post. The council currently does not plan to send out consultation forms to every resident who lives near the site.
For specialist advice on investing in the York area or for information on CityLets 25/7 property management services for landlords, please contact our team of experts, Carole Carter, Emma McClements or Alexis Hanford on 01904 652729.
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Article courtesy of The York Press, visit www.yorkpress.co.uk for more local news.
21 January 2016
Amy Anderton, Property Manager, CityLets York
Amy first joined CityLets in 2007 when the business was very much at an embryonic stage. She said,
“It was very different to it is now. My role was to carry out inventories, check outs, check ins and inspections. IT was a learning process. From there I became an independent inventory clerk, eventually working for? myself. I have now come full circle and I am now part of the team working as the Property Manager.”
Amy currently leads the property management team, looking after the large portfolio of managed properties and landlords, dealing with all maintenance enquiries, check outs and bond negotiations. The team also manage contractors and make sure landlord expectations are achieved. Amy added,
“We are a busy department and nothing ceases to amaze us!”
Amy previously worked for ‘3’ as part of the corporate communications team when they launched their brand and in sales and training roles which have enabled her to build up an invaluable range of experience and transferable skills to her current role.
Outside of her fast paced and exciting position at CityLets, Yorkshire girl born and bred, Amy is kept busy with her family, husband and three children. When time allows she enjoys the great outdoors, camping trips with family and friends, cooking and eating! Amy enjoys experiencing new foods and cultures and loves travelling and is described by her colleagues as ‘a team player, always happy to help’.
Through working in property services for a number of years as well as previously running her own business which involved working with letting agents and independent landlords, Amy learnt about landlord expectations. She commented,
“It is all about honesty and exceptional customer service. If you go the extra mile for the customer you can’t go far wrong.”
For more information about the property services that Amy’s team offer, please contact her directly amy@cityletsyork.co.uk
18 January 2016
A REFURBISHMENT project at two former wartime munitions factory buildings on a business estate in North Yorkshire is enjoying an uptake of letting.
Two units have been let, and a third is imminent, following the extensive refurbishment at Thorp Arch Estate this summer. The lettings have been made to Aerotech Abrasives Group and Stuart Hirst at Units 710 and 715 where refurbishment has created six new individual industrial units.
Tim Munns, director of Wharfedale Property Management, which manages Thorp Arch Estate for owner, Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust, said:
“We are encouraged by the speed of the lettings at these two units. This follows the successful refurbishment of Units 713 and 726 in 2014 where five of the units were let upon completion of the refurbishment works and all nine units were let within six months.
“As a result, Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust has decided to proceed with speculative new development at Thorp Arch Estate for the first time since 2005 and is starting work on creating seven industrial units of between 3,000 sq ft and 4,000 sq ft each, which are due to complete in July 2016.In the 12 months up to September 30, 26 companies located onto the Thorp Arch Estate, at the same time as a number of existing tenants expanded and moved into larger premises. This shows the continued popularity of the estate with a growing numbers of companies choosing to base their businesses on the estate.”
The refurbishment included the fitting of new insulated roofs with skylights, cladding the original brick walls with insulated sheets and fitting new roller shutter doors and steel personnel doors. The two-million sq ft Thorp Arch Estate is base for a range of more than 140 businesses, from start-ups to large Plcs, operating in local, national and international markets and employing more than 1,800 people.
Thorp Arch Retail Park, which forms part of the estate, was the first out-of-town shopping centre in the country when it opened in 1959 and is complemented by a variety of leisure facilities.
CityLets York offer highly recommended Property Management Services, for more information on the services we provide please click here or call 01904 652749 to speak to a member of our team.
Article courtesy of The York Press.
18 January 2016
ONE of Aviva’s city centre offices is to be turned into 48 flats, as the insurance giant moves out almost 900 staff.
Yorkshire House on the corner of Rougier Street and Station Rise, one of York’s most prominent office blocks for 50 years, is to be converted. The Press revealed in June last year that Aviva was looking to sell the building as part of plans to make £225 million of annual saving by the end of 2017. A change of use application for the building has now been submitted to City of York Council, to create a seven-storey apartment block, housing 48 flats, as well as two storeys of parking.
The plans have been put forward by Yorkshire House Development One Ltd, a company set up last July by North Yorkshire businessmen Charles Jackson and Paul Brown. Jeremy Williams of IDPlanning, acting agent for Yorkshire House Development One, said the building would not be made any bigger. He said 53 parking spaces would be created and said: “It is considered that this is an acceptable amount and will not result in a detrimental impact on the local highway network.”
Aviva says it is in the process of moving around 900 staff based at Yorkshire House into the neighbouring Wellington Row offices and to a site at Monks Cross, with all employees due to be in their new locations by February.
The proposed development, which will be made up of ten two-bed and 38 three-bed apartments, is the latest in a growing list of office space in York to be converted into residential accommodation.
The Government’s introduction of permitted development rights in 2013 means office space can be converted into homes without planning permission.
Other high profile city centre redevelopments in York include:
Holgate Villa in Holgate Road, which is set to become 50 flats
Biba House in St Saviourgate, where 24 flats have been created out of the old Hilary House tax office
Hunter House in Goodramgate, which is becoming 14 apartments.
There are also plans for the creation of 82 apartments at Hudson House in Toft Green, and 59 apartments in the former Crown Prosecution Service building at United House in Piccadilly.
Aviva is seeking to make savings following the £5.6 billion acquisition of rival firm Friends Life last year. This will be its latest shuffle of staff after a four-year project to consolidate its 2,000 York employees into Yorkshire House and Wellington Row.
In 2010, after already moving staff from Clifton Moor into the city centre, the insurance firm, which has its Life division headquarters in York, announced 500 staff at Monks Cross would also be relocated within the city walls.
At the same time 300 staff from Roman House, in Rougier Street, were to be transferred into Yorkshire House and Wellington Row, with Roman House later sold to York developer Skelwith Group and earmarked for 47 apartments, before later being sold to Splendid Hospitality Group as an extension to its Grand Hotel & Spa.
Aviva initially planned to sublet its Monks Cross office, however the space remained empty. Yorkshire House opened in 1965, for the then General Accident group. In 2009 City of York Council eyed up the site as a possible location for its head quarters before settling on West Offices.
To see current property investment opportunities in the City of York please click here. For advice and information on redevelopments in York and their investment potential please contact Alexis Hanford on 01904 652729.
Article courtesy of The York Press, visit www.yorkpress.co.uk for more local news.
