THE partners behind plans for a Roman Quarter - complete with underground museum - in York hope history will repeat itself when the scheme comes before planners on Thursday.
Forty years ago, York councillors approved plans for the Coppergate Centre – and the Viking-themed museum below it that we now know as Jorvik – at the second time of asking.
Developers Rougier Street Developments and their partners, the York Archaeological Trust, hope the same will be true for their proposal to create a new, underground Roman museum along with an 88-room aparthotel, 153 new apartments and new office space in Rougier Street.
An initial proposal was rejected by councillors in early 2021, with the designs criticised as ‘monolithic’.
The designs have since been revised and re-submitted. But the Council for British Archaeology and Historic England have now voiced concerns about the ‘intrusive’ nature of the archaeological dig planned for the site.
The Council for British Archaeology said the 'rationale behind the archaeological proposals and the scale of development necessary to deliver the scheme is both flawed and fundamentally harmful', while Historic England called the proposals 'confused and contradictory'.
Artist's impression showing the inside of the planned new underground Roman museum
Despite this, council officers have recommended that the revised scheme be approved on Thursday because any harm to archaeological deposits and the wider conservation area would be outweighed by 'substantial public benefits'.
York Archaeological Trust Chief Executive David Jennings stressed the archaeological dig - to be known as the 'Dig for Eboracum' - would form a ‘key part’ of the development process.
He admitted that the Council for British Archaeology and Historic England had expressed concerns. But a ‘host of world-renowned archaeology academics’ had voiced their support for the project, he said - including Professor Richard Hodges of the American University of Rome, Professor Nicky Milner of the University of York, and former chief archaeologist for English Heritage David Miles.
"With the Dig for Eboracum, we not only have a clear picture of what we expect to find based on other smaller excavations nearby and core samples on the site itself, but also 40 years of knowledge and experience in using this archaeology for the good of the community," he said.
“Add to this interest in the project from major international broadcasters keen to follow the dig from start to finish and this project could put Roman York firmly onto the international map.
"That benefits way more than just the new attraction. Every other part of Roman heritage that the city has to offer, from the Multangular Tower and York Museums Trust’s Roman collections to the Roman Baths and Roman Festival will experience a surge in interest if this development is permitted.
“This genuinely is a once in a lifetime opportunity for York, where the developer is funding a project that will ultimately generate millions of visits and tens of millions of pounds of income for the city."
The proposals, if approved, would see the demolition of Northern House, Rougier House and Society Bar, with the dig area taking up around 30 per cent of the site.
The full planning application can be viewed online at the York Planning Portal and the planning committee meeting can we viewed via City of York Council’s YouTube channel on Thursday from 4.30pm.
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