Blueprint for a better city

Today, we are going back to the future. This journey is brought to you by Kathleen Shilleto, from Stockton-on-the-Forest, York. She read our feature late last month headlined, "Where's the plan to keep York special?"

That article examined the need for an environmental capacity study to gauge how much more development the city could take before its character is destroyed. The measure was subsequently rejected by councillors.

Nevertheless, the piece prompted Mrs Shilleto to reach for a book which has been in her possession since her brother-in-law gave it to her 40 years ago.

The book is called The City Of Our Dreams. Published nearly a half century ago in 1955, its author was that great friend of York, John Bowes Morrell. In it, he considers the future of York past, its present (now five decades gone) - and how it should be developed in the future (York today).

Mrs Shilleto has kindly loaned the book to us so some of the ideas it contains, often radical, always interesting, can get another airing two generations on.

"Some of the things maybe are a little bit way out, some are more feasible," she says.

"Today it seems they don't know what to do with the city. I thought this may give them a little inspiration."

The City Of Our Dreams is a beautifully presented book. Printed on glossy paper and lavishly illustrated with photographs and artists' drawings, it cost no less than 50 shillings when published.

The book was first brought out in 1940. "Today," wrote JB Morrell in the preface to this second edition, "we are looking into the future wondering what the Atomic Age has in store for us."

The three sections are sub-headed: what we owe to the dead; what we owe to the living; and what shall we owe to those who are coming?

His examination of what had gone before is knowledgeable and full of insight. But the real fascination is in the last section: how does Mr Morrell's York of the future compare to our own York of today?

He read the demographic trends accurately. "The rising generation will have growing needs. If the world can live at peace we may expect that the wealth of the community will continue to increase, the hours of labour will still further diminish and there will be a growing proportion of leisured elderly people."

It was with leisure in mind that JB drew up his blueprint of 21st century York. He began his tour of tomorrow's York with the city walls, suggesting that the cattle pens in Barbican Road should go: they did, the cattle market moved out to Murton.

"The wall in Nunnery Lane, which obscures the view of the rampart, should be lowered, the buildings should be cleared away as well as the stables in the moat in St Maurice's Road," he wrote.

"...When done, we should have a view of the mediaeval walls which guard the fine old buildings we have inherited from the past and we should have a wonderful and unique inner ring road round the old city."

He went on to suggest a water-garden be formed in parts of the old moat. JB kept returning to the theme of water: he suggested a water garden round the base of Clifford's Tower, which "would add an additional attraction to the Castle precincts; it might prevent some of the children sliding down the mound".

"The use of the river for pleasure is increasing, but more could be made of it; the number of boats is growing," he noted later. He called for a walkway to be created along the Ouse between Lendal and Ouse Bridges, which "would help to remove the congestion in Coney Street".

The fresh air theme continues as he travels west. He had ambitious plans for a park for Leeman Road: "the land between the ring road and the river could be treated to give us a swimming pool, with a restaurant at one end and a place for sun-bathing at the other.

"There could be an open-air theatre and bandstand facing west, which, in a few years when the trees had grown, would be pleasantly shaded."

Sports fans as well as theatregoers were considered by the great man. "Considering our interest in sport, shall we long be content without seating accommodation at our grounds? One of the strays would make an ideal sports stadium.

"Hob Moor is particularly fitted for this purpose, being not far from the centre of the city." He also envisaged a return to the spa age, with a medical baths built alongside a proposed indoor swimming pool.

"British citizens could take a vapour bath in Eboracum 1,750 years ago, but today the citizens must go to Leeds or Harrogate if they want one - they cannot get one in York."

A few years after writing The City Of Our Dreams JB Morrell was to become the key player in the creation University of York. But he had other plans, too, for the cultural development of his city.

"A concert hall should be built worthy of the city and no better site could be found than between Tower Street and the river, with entrances from Tower Street and the Esplanade, or one where the municipal offices were intended to be built," he stated.

A museum could also be created at Clifford's Tower, he suggested. "If it were again covered with a roof it would be an appropriate place to display the Timperley Collection of arms and armour."

Alongside these broad visions is characteristic attention to detail. Mr Morrell wanted outdoor seats around the city, as well as harmonised shop fronts.

"More litter baskets could be supplied at the stopping places to help us get tidier streets," he offered. "The schools should train the next generation in tidier habits; the present one seems incorrigible."

Life has changed in ways even the visionary JB Morrell could not have countenanced 50 years ago. Yet a number of his ideas still bear consideration.

And it is hugely refreshing to read a treatise on the future development of York which does not mention shops, supermarkets and housing densities, and which refers to citizens and families instead of consumers.

He concludes with some simple words which offer as much food for thought now as then.

"Our efforts in the future should be directed to making a better city with more intelligent citizens.

"I am not concerned with a bigger city, I want a better one."

Updated: 09:15 Monday, February 16, 2004