Future YPI planning application

John Fareham and John Abbott report that preliminary discussions have taken place regarding a possible planning application to build further accommodation on the former YPI sports grounds.

No formal planning application has been submitted as yet but preliminary details suggest that the plan will be for what the prospective applicants call “a small complex of high quality, single occupancy accommodation aimed towards professionals working in the city, sports scholars or post graduate students”. The proposals before us received a less than warm welcome from those members present, some of whom, including myself, feel that this would be a more sustainable sporting venue if it drew on the funds available from national sporting bodies to upgrade the facilities instead of embarking on the slippery slope towards becoming a housing estate by stealth.

Service 9 new timetables

John Fareham and John Abbott report that the Stagecoach Service 9 bus will operate according to new timetables from October 30^th.

Except to note in passing that certain parts of East Hull including Dorchester Road will no longer be served by the 9, this is perhaps not the place to attempt a detailed comparison between the old and new timetables. We are however assured that Stagecoach staff on the interchange are expecting revised timetable leaflets to be received by them, and to be available to the travelling public, in time for the changes taking effect; presumably the new timetables will also be downloadable in due course, hopefully also before the new timings are implemented.

Abbotsford Close hedges

John Fareham and John Abbott have addressed concerns about overhanging hedges impinging on pedestrian access to and from Abbotsford Close.

We received complaints from local residents to the effect that these hedges were projecting too far to be compatible with pedestrian access in general and access for those with pushchairs in particular.  We therefore  furnished the officers with photographic evidence of the scale of the problem and they now report that suitable machinery has been used to trim back the hedges.  We understand the concerns of those who think the trimming was too abrupt or excessive but officers have undertaken to look into this on our behalf; foliage of course will grow back in time and we will continue to observe how thick or thin it is in case it requires further attention in the future.

Hayburn Avenue planning application

John Fareham and John Abbott have details of a planning application to turn a small area of amenity land on Hayburn Avenue into part of a private garden.

Details of this application are now available to view on the Council website; you can access the details most easily by using the reference number 16/01389/COU which you would also be well advised to quote when contacting the Council if you wanted to express an opinion on the application.  If indeed you do want to express a view for or against the application you can either e-mail dev.control@hullcc.gov.uk or write to Planning Services, Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA in time for your comments to be received by 4 November 2016.

Stagecoach Service 9 to survive

John Fareham and John Abbott are delighted to report that, as a consequence of the negotiations between Hull City Council and the bus operators, Stagecoach Service 9 will continue to run and will continue to connect Bricknell Estate with the City Centre.

The East Hull portion of the Service 9 route will cease to operate as that part of town is well enough provided with buses. Our part, however, will continue for the time being to connect Bricknell Estate with both the City Centre and Cottingham, though the possibility exists that East Riding of Yorkshire Council will stop subsidising the bit between the Estate and Cottingham. If they do, the service will then carry on as a service, on what remains of the current route, between the Estate and the City Centre. A decision on that aspect of the matter will be reached early next year, presumably a part of their budget-setting process, and when the outcome is known we will of course pass the details on to local residents.

Hotham Road North planning application

John Fareham and John Abbott have details of a planning application to build two one-bedroom flats above the retail unit and post office at the junction of Fairfax Avenue and Hotham Road North.

Full details of the planning application are now available on the Council website; the quickest way to access them is to go to the Public Access section of the Planning page and use the application reference number 16/01317/FULL to call them up.  If residents then have any opinions either for or against the application, they should either e-mail dev.control@hullcc.gov.uk or write to Planning Services, Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA in time for their comments to be received by 26 October 2016.

Fairfax Avenue white box markings

John Fareham and John Abbott have ascertained the purpose of the new white box markings on Fairfax Avenue.

We received queries from local residents as to the purpose of these markings and made enquiries of the officers as to why they were being installed.  The local residents concerned had asked the workmen about this but had not been satisfied with the answers. What the officers told us – which was broadly in line with our expectations – was that these boxes are meant to show motorists, who are limited as to how long they can park there, where they are supposed to park within the hours they are allowed to park there.  It therefore follows from this that putting these markings down is an integral part of the process of marking all the lines that go with the TRO. We will of course take an interest in how the TRO works out in practice and will be prepared to react to any problems with it that may come to light.

Loveridge Avenue highway works

John Fareham and John Abbott report that further  highway survey work and further consultation are to be undertaken on Loveridge Avenue.

Comments received from local residents during the formal consultation exercise suggest that some are concerned about questions of access and parking. Further exploratory surveys on the even numbered side at the low numbered end have uncovered no evidence that possible means of resolving these issues are not capable of being implemented.  As soon as we reach the point where these conclusions can be translated into a plan of action we will of course pass on details to local residents.