JOHN WILLIAMSON says Stonebow House should be demolished and open space created. Paul Calpin calls for it to be funded by the unspent monies extracted from developers.

I would add that the traditional paving ripped out of King’s Square should be reused in any landscaping works.

The problem with Stonebow House is not so much the office block which is located towards a post-war street and successfully echoes a mediaeval stone tower. The problem is the brutal ungainly podium on which it stands with an inappropriate car park on a huge flat roof.

It is this element which is destructive to St Saviourgate and damages the views of the Central Methodist Church.

City of York Council has agreed to purchase a controlling freehold and a sensible goal would be to pursue the conversion of the empty tower to flats with fantastic views over the city, while removing most of the podium to create amenity space.

This should be a reasonable compromise between those who regard the building as an important example of 1960s architecture and those who wish to see the whole lot flattened.

It would be a demonstration of sustainable reuse of an exiting structure and a welcome use of a redundant building to provide much needed housing.

Matthew Laverack, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York.
 

• THERE seems to be some confusion (Letters, January 13) as to whether Stonebow House is listed or not. Well, it should be listed – listed for demolition.

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York.