Wall and peace

Architect Matthew Laverack provoked a storm of protest among residents in Markham Crescent in The Groves, York, over his scheme to knock down part of the wall at the end of their street.

Residents feared opening up any part of the wall would make their street more vulnerable to crime, but Mr Laverack wanted to allow light into his house in neighbouring Eldon Street.

Things came to a head in October when workmen began demolition work. Residents climbed on top of it in protest, and police were called in.

Earlier in the month, City of York Council planners refused permission to replace part of the wall with railings, saying they would look out of place and would increase residents' fear of crime.

Now councillors have granted a compromise solution, which will see the existing section of wall - about 2.1 metres high -replaced with reclaimed brickwork to about half its height, and the remainder taken up with railings.

Most members of the council's planning and transport city centre area sub-committee felt the new solution was acceptable.

Coun Ceredig Jamieson-Ball said: "I think the objections seem to have been overcome. I think this is an acceptable solution."

But Coun Derek Smallwood said residents had been forced into a compromise over costs. He said: "I don't believe the objections that there were have gone away. I believe the residents of the area have been obliged to accept second best, quite simply because they couldn't afford to fight the application.

"It's not an improvement to replace that wall by railings.

"One hundred years of history have been broken away.

"There's no advantage to local residents at all.

"It doesn't secure their area any better. It makes it less secure, in their mind at least."

Residents backed down over their original fight to save the whole wall after being advised by lawyers the row could cost them thousands of pounds.

Updated: 10:31 Monday, December 05, 2005