York Cycle Campaign questions for Persimmon Barbican plan

York Cycle Campaign said it welcomed aspects of Persimmon Homes’ plans for a new 240 home development on a 2.2 acre site close to York Barbican and the Staycity Aparthotels, but said “the design of the bike park currently fails to meet a number of requirements” over the provision of space for the different designs of bicycle currently in use.

A Persimmon Homes spokesman said they are due to launch a consultation website very shortly for people to have their say.

The plans have been submitted after the site has stood derelict for two decades.

An initial Persimmon scheme was mothballed because of the economic crisis, although the aparthotel got built on the portion of the site where a swimming pool had been.

Recommended reading:

• Persimmon flats plan near York Barbican and StayCity
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Plans show a total of 235 cycle parking spaces would be provided on site via a single-storey storage building, according to planning documents, and the development would provide a total of 67 car parking spaces, but only five of these would be within the boundary of the development site, the plans say.

There are two sites proposed for the development which would be bordered by Paragon Street, Barbican Road, Kent Street and Fawcett Street.

There are currently off-road cycle lanes providing links between Heslington and the town centre and signalled cycle crossing found on the borders of the planned site.

Existing cycle lane provision close to the site (Image: Kevin Glenton) The plans say “cycle access into the site is via the proposed shared surface access junction off Kent Street as well as Paragon Street.

“A 1.5m wide-off carriageway cycle lane will be provided along the length of the Barbican Road site frontage.

“In addition, the existing two-way cycleway along the northern Paragon Street boundary of the site has been increased to 3m wide.”

Existing signalised cycle crossing in Barbican Road (Image: Kevin Glenton) Michael Driscoll, secretary for York Cycle Campaign told The Press: “We welcome the proposed enhancements to improve links to cycle provision in surrounding area, notably the addition of a 1.5m lane on Barbican Rd approaching the junction with Paragon St and the widening of the two-way cycle lane to 3m alongside Paragon St to the North of the site.

“Given the centralised cycle parking proposed there should be a clearly delineated route with a separate cycle entrance from the new Kent St access.

“This needs to take account of adapted specialist cycles and not presume that cyclists must dismount and use the pedestrian swipe card or code to pass through security measures.

“More thought is needed on access for couriers and parcel deliveries, with designated bays to prevent paths and cycle routes being blocked by vehicles.

“Similarly the design of the bike park currently fails to meet a number of requirements for space for ordinary cycles and for tricycles, cargo / child carrier bikes, and ebikes.

“1.05m wide entrances are insufficient serving a third of all bike spaces in the main development and the indicative spacing of the Sheffield stands is far too close to fit more than one bike per stand, with no spaces suitable for adapted/ cargo type cycles.”

Examples of differently-designed bicycles highlighted by York Cycle Campaign (Image: Gareth Buddo) The planning application has a supporting comment from a resident of Barbican Road who said “given that this particular site is within walking distance of the city centre, the university, and many local amenities, many apartment residents will be able to manage without running a car.”

Comments objecting to the proposal say provision for cycle parking is “inadequate” with one objector stating “for the main site it is too tight with no provision for adapted cycles, safe charging of ebikes and no separate cycle entrance to the site.

“The Fawcett Street site has the parking accessed from the busy front of building which will encourage pavement cycling.

“The cycle track alongside the Barbican is not appropriate to be used as service access to the building.

"There is no visitor cycle parking proposed anywhere around the site.”