ORGANISERS say they are still committed to bringing a big wheel back to York, despite delays in lodging a planning application.

But it is unclear whether Great City Attractions (GCA) will be able to install a wheel in time for this summer’s tourist season.

Nigel Ward, the company’s head of global site development, said last autumn the company was examining several potential locations and hoped to pinpoint one particular site by early this year, allowing it to submit an application to City of York Council.

But with Easter nearly here, he said today: “We are still in discussions over possible locations and doing a full assessment.”

He said GCA was “very committed” to working with the city to find a suitable wheel site.

York council leader Andrew Waller said the authority was “very willing” to help the operators to find a suitable location for a wheel.

“Officers have responded to requests for advice on planning, transport and heritage issues,” he said.

GCA and its predecessor, World Tourist Attractions (WTA), have been dogged by problems since they started trying to find a new site.

The wheel was successfully sited at the National Railway Museum for two-and-a-half years – attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors - before being dismantled in November 2008. WTA originally attempted to install a replacement next to the Park Inn Hotel in North Street but this was vetoed due to environmental concerns.

The company then came up with plans to erect a 60-metre high wheel in the St George’s Field car park for a three-month period.

But the Environment Agency objected because the area regularly floods and North Yorkshire Police said it would distract motorists on the inner ring road, and could lead to accidents.

Coun Waller said today he understood steps had been taken to alleviate the agency’s concerns over St George’s Field, but at the moment there was no planning application. Mr Ward said last autumn he could not rule out another attempt to site the wheel at St George’s Field.