New homes could be built on these five sites across the city.
City of York Council is looking at selling off some of its vacant sites or turning them into housing.
These include
- 22 The Avenue off Clifton
- the former Willow House care home near Walmgate Bar
- the former Morrell House care home at the north end of Burton Stone Lane
- Moor Lane Car Park
- and the former Oakhaven nursing home off Acomb Road.
“The council budget has been significantly impacted by Covid and there is a need to realise value from vacant assets in the near future,” says a review into some of the council’s properties.
It says the supported living scheme at 22 The Avenue is no longer fit for purpose and new accommodation for people with mental health difficulties will be developed at Crombie House in Acomb and Woolnough House.
The land is too small and worth too much to be included in the council’s own housing programme, according to a council report.
It says the site, in “a highly desirable location”, should be sold to a private developer and could fetch up to £2.2 million.
Next to the walls
Vacant Willow House is just inside the city walls and attempts to sell it for development into student accommodation or apartments hit obstacles because of the site’s location next to the historic walls.
The council now wants to redevelop the site into up to 40 new homes, with the report saying: “In addition, it is considered that there may be scope for additional housing development in the surrounding estate alongside improvements to public spaces.”
Morrell House could be turned into self-build plots for people to build their own homes.
The site closed in 2018 and since then no alternative uses have been found. The council says it is too small to be used in its housebuilding programme.
Investigations will be carried out to see if it is suitable for self-build plots – if not, the council says it will be sold on the open market.
Moor Lane car park – the former Askham Bar Park&Ride – was due to be part of the council’s housebuilding programme but no work has been carried out.
The car park is currently being used as a flu vaccination hub as part of the effort to fight coronavirus.
And it has been earmarked as a possible mass vaccination centre for Covid-19.
But the council has had a number of offers for the site from private developers, which will be considered when it is no longer needed for work related to the pandemic.
Oakhaven – a former council nursing home that closed in 2016 – could be turned into 64 bedroom care home by Burlington Care Limited.
The company has been given 12 weeks to look at getting planning permission for the scheme. If not, the site will be sold on the open market.