PROTESTERS have said they may go to the courts to seek a judicial review over the Government's decision not to call a public inquiry into controversial plans to redevelop York's Barbican centre.

Members of the Save Our Barbican campaign group have voted unanimously to instruct solicitors to investigate the possibility of getting a judicial review of the move.

At a meeting attended by 50 people, £1,200 was pledged to pay for the necessary legal work to bring the case to court.

Ernie Dickinson, a leader of the campaign group, said legal advice had suggested there are "strong grounds" on which to base a challenge. He said: "We are alive and kicking. The Barbican scheme is still a dreadful scheme, no matter what the Government says, and we will fight it to the end.

"We have got over last week's announcement, which we half expected anyway, as the reasons for calling in a planning application are that it has to be of national importance."

He said that any legal action would have to be lodged with the courts before the end of July. Last week the Evening Press reported how a public inquiry would not be held into plans to transform the Barbican into 240 new apartments and a 135-bedroom hotel.

The proposals would also mean a new community pool, a refurbishment of the Yearsley and Edmund Wilson Baths, 100 new jobs and new affordable homes.

City of York Council leader Steve Galloway today warned any further Barbican delays could have "very serious consequences" for the quality and range of replacement leisure facilities.

He called on campaigners to drop their opposition and take the chance to make a "positive contribution" towards layout plans for the new Kent Street leisure centre.

Coun Galloway warned that building costs for the Barbican project were already rising at triple the rate of inflation.

"That means that for every week we lose, the amount of money available to invest in the new Kent Street centre is being devalued," he said.

"The consequences of delays are that people will get a poorer standard of replacement."

The bill for any judicial review could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, Coun Galloway said.

Updated: 10:40 Thursday, July 01, 2004