Student let plan sparks protests (From York Press)
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Osbaldwick student let plan sparks protests
8:01am Wednesday 5th December 2012 in News
RESIDENTS are protesting against plans for another student let in a York village, saying they are worried about problems with noise at antisocial hours.
Osbaldwick parish councillors have also raised concerns about the calculations being used by council officials to work out whether the proposal should be turned down under new planning rules.
City of York Council has received the application to turn a post-war semi-detached house in Tranby Avenue into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) to provide accommodation for six students.
Planning consultants Yew Tree Associates said permission would not have been needed previously but is now required after the authority adopted “article 4” powers, allowing it to control the proliferation of HMOs in the city.
The consultants said the scheme would not detract from the character of the area and is considered acceptable.
But near-neighbours have written to the council to express deep concerns about the impact on their lives. One said: “I worry about the noise levels in the area.
“Surely there is plenty of accommodation in the vicinity of the university already, and I understand that a lot of the purpose-built accommodation in Hull Road lies half empty.”
Another said: “There will be a problem with the fact that six people from a different generation to the majority of people living in this family-orientated area will create a lot of noise at unsocial hours, which is unacceptable.”
A third resident said: “I have for many years been treated for anxiety and nerves and I am very concerned about so many people living next door. This has always been an extremely quiet residential area.”
Laurie Pye, of Osbaldwick Parish Council, claimed there was a higher level of HMOs in the area than was indicated in the council’s database, which was used to help decide whether such applications should be turned down or approved.
He claimed the database had been similarly flawed with a previous proposal for an HMO in Farndale Avenue.
He said: “It could be argued until kingdom come that the figures are acceptable as they stand, but if they do not reflect reality on the ground, as understood by local residents, then the whole system falls into disrepute.”
Comments(21)
Zetkin
says...
9:56am Wed 5 Dec 12
That's a frightening indictment of what's happening to education in this country, but I'd very be surprised if there really have been seven in one institution.
metsaagain
says...
10:02am Wed 5 Dec 12
In my quick research- there have been under five York student suicides in the last five year, both on and off campus. Are you really telling me that in ONE year, in one small sector of the overall student population (ie those resident on campus) there has been a 700% increase in suicides, all without the university OR the York Press OR any of the student papers OR the police OR the ambulance service OR the coroners office OR local government OR central government OR the local or national NUS OR the UCU and other on-campus unions making any comments/statements/
representations at all? This suggests a cover up of astounding proportions- indeed, quite how have the University managed to surpress reports of this on twitter/FB, when national governments, powerful businesses and leading celebrities are unable to exert control over social media?
All factual stories start as rumour but so does gossip, misunderstanding, misconception, false allegation and good old fashioned mistakes.
I am not saying categorically that there werent 7 suicides in one calendar year- but I am very very very surprised that there has been no reporting of this, when student suicides have been reported on before, and I see no clear motive or mechanism for surpression of this information. All I ask is a little more evidence than an anecdotal comment from a member of staff
Woody G Mellor
says...
10:20am Wed 5 Dec 12
metsaagain
says...
10:29am Wed 5 Dec 12
Woody G Mellor wrote:though to be fair, the Press policy on deleting comments is generally rather bizzarre and it could mean absolutely anything. I'd imagine it may be that making accusations about such massive cover ups connected to multiple deaths on a public message board is an extremely serious allegation and leaves the Press ( and the poster) potentially open to libel actions from the University
And the Press are fuelling such rumours by deleting comments without explanation.
metsaagain
says...
10:44am Wed 5 Dec 12
inthesticks
says...
10:45am Wed 5 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year
says...
11:18am Wed 5 Dec 12
Woody G Mellor wrote:They're probably a bit twitchy at the mo what with our new Press Watchdog on duty and all.
And the Press are fuelling such rumours by deleting comments without explanation.
Hoofarted
says...
11:24am Wed 5 Dec 12
No names were mentioned! Not one.
Cover up it is!
Hoofarted
says...
11:26am Wed 5 Dec 12
Think about it.
Before they delete this.
meme
says...
11:35am Wed 5 Dec 12
metsaagain
says...
11:53am Wed 5 Dec 12
Hoofarted wrote:to be fair, I *think* you did. The Press certainly have reported on student suicides and accidental deaths off campus before - hard to see HOW the university could possibly prevent publicity of such off-campus tragedies. Seriously, if you are really concerned, then check details with the Coroner- and as I said, please explain HOW the university are able to surpress all this information (including a putative censorship of social media/FB/Twitter that the Chinese government would be impressed by) and WHY they would want to?
And as regards the suicides all occurring in the same place. Who said they all took their lives on campus?
Think about it.
Before they delete this.
And honestly, the press deleting a post really doesn't make for a conspiracy- it suggests understandable worry about legal actions. You may not have noticed but in the last month people have got themselves into a serious legal pickle through making unsubstanciated and libellous allegations on disccusions boards/social media, just ask Lord McAlpine.
Hoofarted
says...
12:14pm Wed 5 Dec 12
metsaagain
says...
12:30pm Wed 5 Dec 12
Hoofarted wrote:well, yes, you don't need to mention specific names - if the identity can be inferred - libel action can still take place; in this day and age and in the current climate no one is going to run the slightest risk of publishing any remotely actionable material.
To repeat.. No names were mentioned! Who's going to sue? The Campus for fear of less migrants applying to live in York council tax free?
And still you have (1) produced no actual evidence - gossip, yes- but actual evidence - no. Could you point me to the dates these alleged suicides happened -down to the month say- should be very easy to check (2) no explained how the University has managed a press clampdown so extreme that none of the bodies in my earlier message have made even the slightest comment. You seem to suggest that the university is able to not only control the York Press, but also the police, most arms of local and national government, the entire blogoshpere/twitter/
FB, the Unions (who spend most of their time opposing the University admin) and the Coroners system (but not seemingly your contact who is quite happy to pass on this story without comment)
Hoofarted
says...
12:38pm Wed 5 Dec 12
When i have more time to spend looking into coroner reports and like, I will get back to you on things.
metsaagain
says...
12:44pm Wed 5 Dec 12
metsaagain
says...
1:19pm Wed 5 Dec 12
bob the builder
says...
1:39pm Wed 5 Dec 12
metsaagain wrote:It's a sin to take one's own life, this is a Christian country with an Archbishop based here in York, take it away conspiracy theorists.
it doesn't take two minutes on the Press website and elsewhere to find reports of York university students committing suicide- not necessarily on campus- but as the vast majority of students don't live on campus this is not a surprise.
In my quick research- there have been under five York student suicides in the last five year, both on and off campus. Are you really telling me that in ONE year, in one small sector of the overall student population (ie those resident on campus) there has been a 700% increase in suicides, all without the university OR the York Press OR any of the student papers OR the police OR the ambulance service OR the coroners office OR local government OR central government OR the local or national NUS OR the UCU and other on-campus unions making any comments/statements/
representations at all? This suggests a cover up of astounding proportions- indeed, quite how have the University managed to surpress reports of this on twitter/FB, when national governments, powerful businesses and leading celebrities are unable to exert control over social media?
All factual stories start as rumour but so does gossip, misunderstanding, misconception, false allegation and good old fashioned mistakes.
I am not saying categorically that there werent 7 suicides in one calendar year- but I am very very very surprised that there has been no reporting of this, when student suicides have been reported on before, and I see no clear motive or mechanism for surpression of this information. All I ask is a little more evidence than an anecdotal comment from a member of staff
metsaagain
says...
1:55pm Wed 5 Dec 12
EmmaBB
says...
9:56pm Wed 5 Dec 12
Can I also add that a HMO isn't always rented to students....young single professionals also rent rooms in HMOs.
Magicman!
says...
2:24am Fri 7 Dec 12
The Great Buda says...
8:28am Wed 5 Dec 12