LUXURY flat developers have been accused of desecrating York's Memorial Gardens by tearing down shrubbery and replacing it with a "monstrous" brick boundary wall.

A former WREN claims people who lost colleagues and friends in war have now lost a pleasant, peaceful place in which to remember the fallen.

Marie Taylor, who is vice-chairman of the Royal British Legion in York, claimed that when developers began building the Westgate luxury apartments in Leeman Road, the ex-services community was informed that it would be necessary to encroach on the adjacent gardens.

"This was coupled with an assurance that the gardens would be returned to their original state," said Miss Taylor, of Fossway, York, who is standard bearer for the Legion's women's section on Remembrance Sunday parades to the gardens.

"We put up with the tearing down of trees, fence, hedges and shrubbery safe in the knowledge that it would be returned to its former state of tranquillity soon."

She said the flats appeared to be near completion. "But to my horror, I find that instead of a garden surrounded by shrubbery and protected in peace from the outside world, a monstrous cream brick wall with ugly dollops of concrete has been created."

She claimed that "sacred, hallowed turf" had been violated and desecrated with no concern for those who lost friends and colleagues in a war in the defence of their country.

"I have always loved my city and been proud to be recognised as coming home from here, but I now feel sick to my stomach that this is being allowed to happen."

George Hardaker, chairman of the York and District Combined Ex-Services Association, which is involved in organising the Remembrance Day march to the gardens, said the boundary - effectively two brick walls filled in by concrete - was a bit like the Berlin Wall.

He added: "It could do with some sort of screening - perhaps they should plant some fast-growing shrubs." He also had concerns about the apartments overlooking the gardens during the Remembrance Service.

David Collins, of Crease Strickland Parkins, architects behind the scheme, said the wall had been built so thick and strong, in consultation with the council, because it formed part of flood defences.

Peter Colebrook, regional managing director of Bryant Homes Yorkshire, said today that the boundary between Bryant Homes' Westgate development and the York Memorial Gardens was in accordance with the original planning agreement granted by City of York Council.

"Bryant Homes has made provision with the council to complete the landscaping to the area and is keen to ensure this takes place as soon as construction is complete," he said.

A City of York Council spokesman said developers had to abide by all

kinds of conditions laid down during the planning process.

"At the moment we

cannot say whether any such conditions have been broken in this case, but we will investigate. In the meantime we would ask this resident to contact us with her complaints."

Updated: 12:05 Wednesday, June 26, 2002