Sugar plant demolition under way

8:09am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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DEMOLITION experts have moved in to York's former British Sugar factory to begin dismantling the massive complex.

The factory in Boroughbridge Road, which opened in 1926, shut down at the end of last year with the loss of just over 100 jobs.

British Sugar blamed the closure, which also affected hundreds of sugar beet growers across North and East Yorkshire, on European Union quotas.

A company spokesman confirmed last night that contractors had moved on to the site in a project which is expected to last about 42 weeks.

Councillors raised concerns earlier this year that the demolition works could create disruption and noise for both local residents and motorists on the congested outer ring road.

Acomb councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing said there would be hundreds, "possibly thousands", of heavy lorry movements, and called for City of York Council to obtain assurances that any inconvenience would be kept to a minimum. She also suggested that material should be taken away by rail instead of by road.

She said today she intended raising such issues at a meeting next week A council spokeswoman said today that the authority met with representatives of British Sugar in March to discuss demolition arrangements - particularly in relation to transport and environmental/ecological issues.

She said the demolition contractor would use Millfield Lane for the majority of HGV movement.

"Generally, Plantation Drive will provide access for visitors and people using the car park," she said.

She said the demolition contractor would put up fencing to protect areas which were of ecological or landscape importance.

"The council's landscape and countryside officers have been involved in discussions with British Sugar and will visit the site to inspect these areas during demolition.

"Two buildings have been identified as having potential for bat habitation.

"Further surveys of these buildings are being carried out and any demolition activities will be scheduled to take into account the results of the surveys and any potential mitigation measures which may be needed."

When the factory buildings have been cleared away, the site is set for a major re-development scheme to be guided by a new planning framework for north-west York, which also includes the York Central site.