The £60 million scheme for a massive extension to York's Coppergate Centre has run into further opposition.

Leading city Tories have attacked the proposals by Land Securities for new shops between Clifford's Tower and Piccadilly, claiming that the buildings will be too high and close to the historic tower.

Ken Beaven, former city councillor and chairman of the Guildhall branch of the York Conservative Association, said the tower and Eye of York comprised the city's most historic site, and the development was a blatant intrusion.

He claimed the proposals were a prime example of over development. "On the south side, facing Clifford's Tower, it intrudes at three-storey height far too close to the tower and its mound, destroying, at a stroke, the whole balance of its all-round aspect.

"The front row of units facing Clifford's Tower must be deleted and the building line taken back some 30 metres."

He had similar criticisms of the eastern side of the development, facing on to the Castle Museum.

He said the association also opposed the proposed demolition of Caf Andros, a listed building.

Meanwhile, another former Tory city councillor, Gerald Dean, while having no objection in principle to the scheme, says the buildings will be too high and too close to the tower.

"Indeed, I believe that this perceived overbearing impact on both this very important scheduled historic monument and the city's unique museum building is a significant and insensitive feature of the proposed development which, I would submit, should be reconsidered by the developers."

He suggests that the Caf Andros building should be retained and an adjoining open space created to form a feature of interest between the existing Coppergate Centre and the new development.

The criticisms follow dissatisfaction with the plan by English Heritage and a number of readers who have written letters of opposition to the Evening Press.

See LETTERS About the Castle/Piccadilly Redevelopment

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