A Plan for York

In developing this plan

York Council is developing a new Local Plan which will replace the 2025 Local Plan –…
Background

I’m Geoff Beacon. I have commented on plans for York since the early 1970s, with little…
New concerns: Food security and inequality

Submissions I made to the York Local Plan Inquiry in 2018 included three themes: In the…
Drastic traffic suppression
York exiles the poor

‘York exiles the poor’ was the heading for the first evidence I tried to submit to…
A call for sites and land monopolies.

A Call for Sites (CFS) is a formal, early-stage consultation process where local planning authorities (LPAs)…
Social and affordable housing

Social renting Social rented housing, is one aspect of the government’s affordable housing drive. Social houses…
Who can afford their own home?

For those with lower incomes it has become almost impossible to buy their own home in…
Universities crowd out housing

The growth of York’s two major universities—the University of York and York St John University—has been…
Urban core, urban trendy and suburban lifestyles

Housing within and near York’s City Walls has become a place where affluent people who like…
Municipal housing

There are three main areas of municipal housing built in York and built in the 20th…
Housing types

Detached houses Detached houses usually have larger floor areas than other types and are the most…
Construction methods

Different construction methods can be applied to the range of housing types e.g. A detached house…
Low traffic neighbourhoods

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) are residential areas where through-traffic is restricted using measures like planters, bollards,…
Car ownership

Here are the effects of car ownership.. Carbon Footprint A report published by Zemo gives estimates…
Very low traffic neighbourhoods

Low traffic neighbourhoods are residential areas where traffic flow is restricted through one-way systems, road closures…
Climate Change

Recent years have seen diminished concern about climate change. Public support for climate policies and urgency…
AI, the retreat from globalisation and economic growth

Google AI Assistant says: Artificial Intelligence is simultaneously accelerating the retreat from traditional, hyper-globalized supply chains…
Housing York’s population

York is an affluent city with large wealth inequality. High property prices and corporate wealth hide…
York’s Green Belt

The idea of a green belt has and enormous emotional pulls on most of us. Green…
Trust the plans of planners?

Should we the trust the plans of planners? Planners have a poor record. York avoided some…
15 minute cities

Some urban theorists have advocated that planners embrace the idea of 15-minute cities. Ratti and Florida…
Are Local Plans useful?

Local plans like the one York ratified last year have the disadvantage of giving up bargaining…
Compulsory purchase

Compulsory purchase is the legal power of a public authority to force the sale of land…
A framework for the new plan

The version of the York Local Plan approved by York Council in February 2025, was governed…
Aims of this plan

Aims … Reducing inequality In much of the world, inequality is increasing. According to economist Gary…
An emergency start

The UK has a housing crisis which is taking from the young and the poor to…
Park homes and custom built homes

On the current housing market, the housing type that has the smallest carbon footprint is the…
Local services for new developments

New sites should have local shops, cafes&pubs, recreation space – and good public transport. They should…
Notes

local food production – vertical farming – food vats – market gardens Local food production is…