I AM puzzled by the council's argument that the Clifford's Tower car park could not be developed into a public park because the council would lose income.

Not long ago council officers argued that the loss of car parking at that site was not a problem because there was a surplus of parking elsewhere in the city.

Hence a car not parked at Clifford's Tower will surely park elsewhere and could pay an equivalent fee.

So why is there lost income? Whatever the answer, it disturbs me that the council has a financial interest in the development. Surely we should require a true independence of the planning process, where the body giving planning permission has no financial interest in the outcome of the process.

How will that be achieved in future?

Richard Firn,

Stockton Lane,

Heworth, York.

Updated: 09:51 Wednesday, November 05, 2003