York- 36 new homes at Willow House site set for decision

The application for the homes on the site of Willow House, in Long Lane Close near Walmgate, have been recommended for approval by York Council planning officers.

Plans from the council stated the development would see the brownfield site transformed to create a new neighbourhood.

Two objections have been lodged claiming the development would cause parking problems and be too close to existing homes.

The application are set to go before the council’s Planning Committee on Thursday, May 7.

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It follows the approval of the demolition of Willow House, which was built in the 1970s, in March to make way for the new homes.

Six of the homes will have three bedrooms, 19 two bedrooms and 11 one, with three fifths offered for social rent and two fifths sold through shared ownership schemes.

The homes would have 117 residents in total at full occupancy.

Plans from the council, drawn up by Mikhail Riches, stated the development would also feature play spaces, an orchard, outdoor communal area, car-free ‘living streets’ and private back gardens.

The homes would be built next to a section of York’s bar walls.

The site is one of five earmarked for a total of 315 affordable homes by the council which are part of efforts to build 600 overall.

Homes at Willow House would be built to Healthy Homes England Standards following a recent council decision to move away from Passivhaus designs which have struggled to attract commercial interest.

An impression showing how some of the 36 homes planned on the site of the former Willow House care home, in Long Lane Close, York, could look (Image: City of York Council/Mikhail Riches)

Plans stated the development would provide much-needed affordable homes for the city.

The application stated: “The site is underutilised brownfield land, formerly occupied by the now vacant care home. It also includes garages and storage structures to the north and west of the main building, as well as the associated access and landscaped areas.

“The development would create a new mixed-use neighbourhood with a new and enhanced public realm, high-quality landscaping and play spaces, and a much improved pedestrian environment, all whilst retaining the significance of the adjacent historic York Walls and important views toward the city centre from these.”

The two objections to the plans claimed the development would result in the loss of trees and other plants and the new homes would be too close to existing ones.

They also claimed visitors to the homes would exacerbate parking problems in the area and called for commercial space to be included on the ground floor of the development.