Dozens of trees will be felled to make way for the £60 million extension to York's Coppergate Centre, opponents claimed today.

And they said the development was way out of line with an original planning brief for the site, with the proposed shops now coming much closer to historic Clifford's Tower.

The objectors were also unhappy that Caf& Andros, while saved from demolition under revised plans for the site, would be "in a vice" between much higher buildings. They said adjacent paving and trees should be retained.

Two York architects, Tom Adams and Matthew Laverack, and former City Planning Officer Eric Pearson are leading a campaign to persuade City of York Council to reject Land Securities' current proposals.

Mr Adams, who is an assessor for the National Civic Trust, says the development is much bigger than envisaged in a planning brief for the site, drawn up by the former York City Council in 1991, going much closer to Clifford's Tower.

He also felt it went against the draft local plan on several grounds, not least the loss of trees.

"The trees along the south-west boundary to the car park form a natural break to the Eye of York and are a valuable ecological amenity," said Mr Laverack.

"And the trees along the north-eastern boundary of the car park, alongside the river, should mostly be retained as part of a new riverside walkway."

Mr Pearson, who was City Planning Officer for the old city Council from 1971 until 1988, said he was also concerned about the size and scale of the proposed new Debenhams department store in Piccadilly.

The trio also claimed that Roy Templeman, City of York Council's director of environment and development services, had told them at a meeting that there was no possibility of officers recommending refusal when the application comes before a planning committee next month.

But this was flatly denied by Mr Templeman, who told the Evening Press that the public's views were still being assessed during a consultation exercise.

He also said the situation in York city centre had changed since the original planning brief was drawn up, including the out-of-town development of Monks Cross and the former Naburn Hospital site. Such factors would be taken into account when the application was considered by officers and councillors.

He said Land Securities had given assurances that lost trees would be replenished as part of the scheme.

Richard Akers, Land securities' senior development surveyor, said: "We have made changes reflecting comments from York people, the City Council and interest groups.

"We think it is a high-quality proposal reflecting Land Securities' long-term commitment to York.

"We do regret the loss of trees and have proposed some new tree planting together with a variety of other environmental enhancements including a proposed wildlife conservation area behind the Castle Museum."

City of York planning chairman Dave Merrett today urged local people to play their part in the Coppergate decision. He invited members of the public to go along to see the amended plans in a mobile exhibition taking to the city's streets.

A model of the proposals will be on show in Exhibition Square on Wednesday and St Sampson's Square on Thursday and Friday. The display will be open from 10am to 5pm.

Afterwards the exhibition will be on display at the council offices in St Leonard's Place from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.