YORK'S historic Assembly Rooms look set to be sold off by City of York Council.

The authority has reached a provisional agreement to sell the 270-year-old Grade 1 listed building in Blake Street to the York Conservation Trust.

But the council's Liberal Democrats are calling for public consultation before any final decision is taken on the sale of the ornate building, which was designed by Lord Burlington in 1730, complete with Corinthian columns and a Rotunda, as a place to entertain friends visiting the races.

Lib Dem leader Councillor Steve Galloway said his party recognised the trust's conservation objectives, but wanted questions answered about possible ways of generating increased income from the building if the council retained ownership.

"We are particularly concerned that heritage buildings and assets are now being sold off by the council at such a rate that the City will have little in the way of substantial assets to fall back on in the future," he said.

"This is clearly not a position that the City Fathers in the past would have considered to be a prudent approach to the City's long term prosperity.

Bill Woolley, the council's assistant development and environmental services director, said the potential sale was certainly not just about the council accruing cash from the sale of capital assets.

"We are suggesting the sale of the Assembly Rooms to a reputable organisation which has a great track record for purchasing historic properties, restoring and maintaining them and ensuring future appropriate use," he said.

"The York Conservation Trust has an excellent reputation and, by its very nature, will ensure dedicated stewardship of the Assembly Rooms whilst the council will always face pressure from other demands on its budgets."

He said the council had the Red House at Duncombe Place, just across the road from the Assembly Rooms, to the Trust in 1998, and it had "done a terrific job."The council had not felt it appropriate to sell the Assembly Rooms through an open tender process because of its importance.

"We are confident this would be a good decision for the future of the Assembly Rooms and York's heritage, which is why our report recommends that members approve the sale."The trust declined to comment directly on the future of the Assembly Rooms under its ownership, but a spokesman said the aims of the trust, founded in 1945 by the Morrell family, were to conserve and restore historic buildings in the city for the benefit of the people.

It now owned 46 such buildings, including the Red House which it had bought from the council and successfully restored. With buildings such as the Assembly Rooms, which were in good condition and being tastefully used, the public would not see any differences "other than improvements."

Updated: 09:14 Tuesday, June 25, 2002