TOO close to Clifford's Tower - that's the verdict on a controversial £60m scheme to redevelop the Eye of York.

Planning chiefs today set out their official reasons for refusing Coppergate II - and the effect on the appearance of the historic heart of York and closeness to the castle come top of the list.

Members of the city council's planning and transport committee effectively voted to throw out the scheme back in December.But they left it to senior planning officials to draw up the detailed reasons for refusal.

Their report, which also sets out a framework within which any future development of the area could be considered, is what committee members will discuss on Thursday.

As well as warning of the impact on the Eye of York, the report from assistant director of planning Ian Thomson says any future proposals for development in the area should:

* take account of the impact on the River Foss

* be designed as a continuation of Castlegate

* be designed so it does not dwarf the nearby listed building occupied by Caf Andros

* be designed so roofscapes and materials fit in with historic buildings.

When city councillors threw out the scheme in December, planning committee chairman Dave Merrett made it clear the council still wanted to have more new shops in the centre of York so the city centre could continue to compete with out-of-town shopping developments.

He said it was still hoped talks could be held with Land Securities to see if a reduced scheme could be rescued.

But in his report, Mr Thomson made it clear developments other than shops or houses would be considered provided they were "appropriate to the city centre and help to achieve a scale and form of building appropriate to the civic character of the Eye of York."

He said any future application would need to look at issues of air quality and pollution, as well as design.

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