I WRITE in response to Coun Merrett's letter on Coppergate II (Letters, December 6).

What Coun Merrett seems to forget is that a vast amount of shopping floor space has been added in and around this city in recent years and there is now a significant amount of available space, large and small. The council has also approved four more large units (as yet unlet) in Stonegate Walk.

We, and many others in the city, are supportive of the redevelopment of Piccadilly, including large and small retail units, offices and residential as well as a Fenwick extension.

So there are already plenty of city centre and out-of-town sites available for new shops and we doubt the council will come under any pressure to provide more out-of-town developments.

What we, and many people in the city, are opposing is the proposed shops development between Clifford's Tower, the River Foss and the three Grade 1 listed buildings.

A M Sinclair,

Chairman, York Chamber of Trade, Stonegate,

York.

...The strenuous efforts being made by City of York Council in forcing through Coppergate II are worthy of considerable scrutiny. A £125,000 inquiry budget (let alone the public money spent on the entire planning process), Queen's Counsel, junior counsel and various planning and surveying consultants, all to support the planning authority's case.

Yet the support of the people of York is at best equivocal and at worst non-existent. Most people seem to oppose the project.

Mr Templeman tells us this scheme is "very important to the council" and that is why these resources are being expended. It is time he explained why.

Nigel Adams,

Sawkill Farm,

Huttons Ambo, York.

Updated: 11:06 Wednesday, December 12, 2001