Go-ahead for student flats on Mecca Bingo site that hosted The Beatles

A 275-bed student block will be built in Fishergate despite concerns from residents and some councillors about access to the site, noise, congestion and the loss of a bingo hall as a place to meet.

The plans were deferred at a previous planning committee after councillors debated whether a bingo hall deserved protection under planning guidelines as a valued cultural facility.

Labour leader Pete Kilbane accused anyone who disagreed of “cultural snobbery".

He added: “If we want to have healthy communities, they need a place to meet and people tend to meet in places where they can have fun.”

Councillor Katie Lomas pointed out that historically bingo emerged as an alternative social activity for working class women who were excluded from pubs.

Council officers said the bingo hall, which has been closed for two years, was not viable, but Cllr Lomas said many businesses had been similarly affected by the pandemic.

Committee chairman Tony Fisher said: “What other possible cultural facility could we get on a site like that that would actually fill it and be viable? I can’t think of one.”

The entrance to the new, four-storey development will now be in Blue Bridge Lane after developers updated their plans.

Stepanie Leeman, an architect and representative for Fishergate House and Fishergate Court residents, raised concerns about congestion.

She added: “If it is just for students it’s going to be a completely closed, introverted sort of community that nobody else is going to be invited into.

“To bring 275 students plus their partners and any other friends that they have – the impact is going to be horrific.”

Michelle Davies, representing the applicant, said: “The scheme represents over £38 million of investment into the city and it is efficient use of a brownfield site in a sustainable location.”

Councillor Mark Warters said it was “a wasted opportunity".

He added: “A mixed use development, retaining some form of community use and to have housing units for York residents would be a plus that would be supported by the residents and the majority of this committee.”

Councillor Michael Pavlovic said: “I would much rather see it as accommodation for families or individuals. But that’s not the world that these developers live in.

“There’s a bigger buck in turning it into student accommodation than there is turning into accommodation for families. I can’t find any planning grounds to refuse this.”