14 flats planned to revive Piccadilly

The move comes only weeks after the decision to turn down the controversial Coppergate Riverside scheme, which involved new shops along Piccadilly.

Andrew Eccles, a director of Northminster Properties, submitted the flats application for the former Polar Motors site, on behalf of its owner, Martin Burgess.

The flats scheme was originally part of the Castle Quarter plan, put forward by Mr Burgess as an alternative scheme to Land Securities' Coppergate Riverside proposal, which many opponents dubbed Coppergate II.

Mr Eccles said the owner would not have sold his Piccadilly site to Land Securities if their development had been approved.

It may have been subject to a Compulsory Purchase Order.

"Coppergate II is dead and does not have a future," said Mr Eccles.

"There should be a master plan for the area, but without a huge, monolithic shop in it.

"We believe our plan could be a stepping stone for the regeneration of the rest of the area.

"The reason for doing it now is to generate debate on Coppergate. We believe it is consistent with other plans for the area."

Mr Eccles said the scheme was likely to cost more than £1 million if approved.

The Evening Press reported last week that York retail leaders had called for the area to be redeveloped with a more "appropriate" project than that which Land Securities were proposing.

A spokesman for City of York Council confirmed that the planning application had been submitted.

Land Securities development director Mike McGuinness said the company was reviewing the comments made in the planning inspector's report to see what options were open to it in respect of progressing Coppergate Riverside.

"In the meantime, we will naturally be interested to see if City of York Council believes that the proposals being put forward for the former Polar Motors site conflict with the desire to see comprehensive rather than fragmented re-development along Piccadilly," he said.

Updated: 10:48 Tuesday, September 23, 2003