PLEAS to reprieve the historic Reynard's garage failed on Thursday night as councillors instead heeded a warning from surveyors that the ageing building is a danger to the public.

The City of York Council's ruling executive agreed the building should to be torn down, and gave the go ahead for council staff to make a planning application for its demolition.

Cllr Ian Gillies said it was "with a heavy heart" that he supported the demolition plan, but said he had confirmation from the Yorkshire Air Museum that the original structure was not critical to their ideas for an Airspeed themed tourist attraction for the site.

The councillors had heard pleas from conservation experts and heritage campaigners that the Art Deco former trolleybus depot be spared from the wrecking ball and instead repaired as an important part of York's 20th century heritage.

Green party councillor Dave Taylor said it was "shameful" that successive council administrations had let the building's condition deteriorate.

During the meeting he said: "I believe we can do something exceptional with Reynard’s Garage.

"I would say gift the site to the Yorkshire Air Museum and Northminster to develop as a museum and new housing. If you don’t feel you can do this outright then get into negotiations with them to find a way to deliver that outcome for the benefit of the city."

Conservation expert Alison Sinclair added her voice to calls for the air museum's plans to be supported, and told the councillors they had the opportunity to "put right" the actions of the former council and save the unlikely piece of York's heritage.

The air museum plans did not receive universal support, with York based architect Joshua Taylor telling the Executive that Reynard's could be converted into low cost housing and workspaces - like Sheffield's Portland Works building - as a celebration of city centre manufacturing and the vision and adventurous spirit of the aviation pioneers connected with Reynard's.

At the same meeting, a deal was approved to sell former council care home Oliver House to retirement housing firm McCarthy and Stone, ending a scheme by community group YorSpace to make it into low cost housing.

Council leader Chris Steward praised the people behind the YorSpace plan but said the financial gap between their offer and McCarthy and Stone meant the council had to take the more lucrative private sector deal.