York's hopes of a massive lottery boost to the Castle Museum have finally bitten the dust.

Ambitious plans for a £12.9 million revamp of the museum, which would have brought crowds streaming back in during the 21st century, were turned down last year.

The Heritage Lottery Fund said it was broadly supportive and acknowledged the need for improved facilities, but it wanted to consider the proposals within the context of all York museums, including the Yorkshire Museum.

Since then, officers have been hoping to come up with a revised bid, at a time when the museum's financial difficulties have led officers to recently propose cutting staff pay.

But a report to City of York Council's Heritage Sub-Committee today indicates that there is now no realistic chance of a single massive lottery grant from the fund.

The fund has told the authority that competition for grants is stronger than ever, and it wants to increase the number of small and medium-sized awards. Grants of more than £500,000 will be few and far between, and of more than £1 million exceptional.

It also said that if organisations have already received an award, other applications may be given a lower priority, with the fund keen not to make repeated grants to particular applicants. The council recently won a £1.3 million grant towards a major refurbishment of Rowntree Park from the fund.

And the fund advised that any successful bids would need a staged programme of phased bids.

The report by Charlie Croft, acting director of leisure services, says that in the light of the new guidelines, consideration will have to be given to a revised bid or programme of bids. The original proposals involved imaginative displays on important stages in the city's history, including the Roman period and Civil War siege.

Meanwhile other North Yorkshire folk were today celebrating one of the region's biggest lottery windfalls.

The county has picked up about £2million in the latest round of heritage lottery grants.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is to receive £1million to improve nature reserves in North Yorkshire, Ripon town centre has been awarded £600,000 for general refurbishment work and Ryedale Folk Museum, near Hutton-le-Hole, has been granted £144,000.

Wildlife-rich Askham Bogs will benefit from the largest share of the wildlife trust's windfall.

The 120-acre bogs, by the A64 near Copmanthorpe, will see £320,000 spent to preserve the wetland habitat, home to rare beetles and spiders and the royal fern and water violet.

A kilometre of boardwalks will also be constructed to make it easier for the public to visit the site.

The Trust's nature reserves manager, David Hargreaves, said: "These are jobs we have been wanting to do to this beautiful site for some time, but have never had the money - until now."

A Malton beauty spot is also in line for a slice of the cash - Jeffrey Bog, just south west of the town, where wild flowers such as orchids grow, is to get a new sluice, a bridge and fencing.

Another chunk of the lottery money will be spent at the trust's Strensall Common nature reserve, where two ponds will be restored.

Residents of the cathedral city of Ripon were also celebrating.

Coun Barry Kay, the Mayor of Ripon, said the £600,000 would go towards the first phase of the council's plans to revamp the city centre.

"This is Phase 1, which will affect Kirkgate, Duck Hill and Minster Road. Parts of it are going to be clearly pedestrianised and work should start in September."

A Grade 2 listed church near York is also set to receive a grant of £18,000. St Mary's at Lower Dunsforth, which dates from 1860, received the grant as a historic building. It will go towards repairs to the clock, belfry and nave.

Thorganby Ings, part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest along the banks of the River Derwent, will receive a grant of £77,000 to cover the removal of overhead electric cables.

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