Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to secure endorsement of the York Central Design Guide for submission as part the Outline Planning Application for the York Central site.

Resolved: (i)      That the detailed drafting of the following proposed amendments to the Draft York Central Design Guide at Annex 2 to the report be delegated to the Corporate Director of Economy & Place:

·        Different height levels / physical separation to be used where cycle ways are proposed other than on shared surfaces;

·        Cycle lanes to be clearly indicated in contrasting materials;

·        Mixing of cyclists and pedestrians in unmarked situations to be discouraged;

·        Cycle parking, where provided, to be adequate, secure and safe, with sufficient dedicated ground floor cycle parking, appropriate to the anticipated level of occupation, designed into all buildings;

·        Cycle storage to be included in external parking areas;

·        Central Park Swale to have permanent water as part of the Sustainable Urban Drainage Strategy (SUDS);

·        Electric charging points to be integrated in primary streets;

·        Proposed car parking provision above 10 units to include centralised car schemes to reduce the need for car ownership;

·        Snickets to be designed to discourage anti-social behaviour, graffiti, fly tipping and poor waste storage, design out crime and promote personal safety;

·        The ‘right tree in the right place’ principle to be applied within the street tree framework, to ensure the trees do not cause problems at maturity;

·        Any proposal not to use photo voltaic panels on heritage buildings or multi-storey car parks to be justified;

·        Buildings to be encouraged to surpass the current CYC minimum carbon emissions standards by over 10% and required to undergo a cost benefit analysis regarding the achievement of Passivhaus certification unless clearly demonstrated that this cannot be done;

·        Low or Zero Carbon feasibility studies to be expected for all non-residential buildings;

·        Proposals for energy networks and a collaborative approach to be expected as part of the detailed proposals (to replace the District Heating Scheme);

·        Adequate provision to be made on site for waste and recycling storage.

Reason:     To ensure that York Central partners are advised of amendments that the Council would like to see in the Design Guide in order that it reflects the public concern expressed in respect of cycling and pedestrian access, car use and other environmental issues.

(ii)      That, subject to these amendments, the Design Guide be endorsed for submission by York Central partners as part of the York Central Outline Planning Application.

Reason:     To ensure York Central partners seek to secure quality and sustainability place making objectives for York Central, and to ensure the timely progression of the York Central development.

(iii)     That a report be prepared by officers for the Executive to enable them to consider the proposals of the National Railway Museum (NRM), before submissions are made for the redevelopment of the NRM or the diversion of Leeman Road.

Reason:     To ensure that Council has opportunity to formally engage with a key partner to address any public concerns around these proposals.

(iv)    That the following matters be addressed in future reports to the Executive:

a)   Arrangements for  a dedicated person to collate policy on and champion equalities issues for York Central, to help  ...  view the full decision text for item 11

The Executive Leader and Executive Member for Environment (Deputy Leader) considered a report which sought their endorsement of the York Central Design Guide for submission as part the Outline Planning Application for the York Central site.

Attached to the report was a map of the site at Annex 1 and the draft Design Guide at Annex 2. The Design Guide formed an important component of the outline application and in combination with the parameter plans, set out the design criteria which would be applied in considering future reserved matters planning applications. These included item such as building typologies and appearance, the palate of materials, the preserved views and public space.

Phillip Crow, spoke on behalf of York Environmental Forum, expressing  concern regarding the application process than the detailed analysis of the Design Guide.  He outlined the reasons for this concern and urged the Council to allow proper time for the guide to be evaluated.

Tamsin Hart-Jones, on behalf of York Central Partnership noted that the partnership had worked collaboratively for the past three years to bring the York Central proposal forward. She explained the purpose and content of the Design Guide. She added that the Design Guide reflected the aspiration for best practices in sustainability. She noted the importance of the endorsement of the Design Guide.

Gwen Swinburn expressed concern regarding the delegation of the Design Guide which she believed to be a breach of key decision protocols. She noted that the Design Guide affected the whole of the city, not two Wards. She suggested that the Design Guide itself should have been subject to consultation. She noted that she hoped that the decision would be called-in by the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee.

Cllr Lars Kramm (Ward Councillor for Micklegate) explained that he believed that the York Central Design Guidelines should be a key decision for consideration by the Executive. He suggested that the Design Guidelines affected more than two Wards. He noted there was a high demand for quality houses and offices and suggested that the Design Guidelines should have shown more ambition.

Peter Sheath, on behalf of York Cycle Campaign expressed recognition that the Design Guidelines were not a planning policy document.  He noted that there was a lack of provision for cyclists (in terms of segregated pathways and cycle parking) in the Design Guidelines and he asked that they be amended to include these. He asked that the guidelines be amended to include a segregated cycle network across the site.

Caroline Lewis, on behalf of Clean Air York explained the impact of the design and layout of the Design Guidelines on air quality and air pollution. She suggested that the road layout had been designed for  fast traffic movement to the disadvantage of pedestrians and cyclists. She noted how the sharing of routes by motor vehicles, public transport, cyclists and pedestrians affected air quality. 

The Executive Leader then read out a letter from the Science Museum Group in response to a letter sent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11