Updated: NEW options for the future of one of York’s main coach and car parks have been revealed as the controversy over its potential sale continues to rage.
The five possibilities for the Union Terrace site, which York St John University is looking to buy for a campus expansion, will go before City of York Council’s ruling Labour cabinet tomorrow.
Following a massive public campaign against the car park proposals, which has seen a petition opposing the deal break through the 20,000-name barrier, the authority backed down on plans to sell the entire site and now says at least some coach parking will be retained.
Most of the 145 car-parking spaces at Union Terrace would be lost, with one option involving keeping all the 34 existing spaces for coaches, after York St John said its expansion plans could be accommodated on a smaller part of the land.
The options, which all include selling part of the site and will be subject to a consultation lasting at last six weeks if they are agreed by the cabinet tomorrow, are to retain:
• 27 coach spaces, one minibus space, three accessible car-parking spaces for disabled users
• 20 coach spaces, four accessible car-parking spaces, 15 car-parking spaces, two car club spaces
• 23 coach spaces, seven accessible car-parking spaces, 19 car-parking spaces, two car club spaces
• 33 coach spaces, six accessible car-parking spaces
• 34 coach spaces, two minibus spaces, seven accessible car-parking spaces, 47 car-parking spaces and two car club spaces.
Labour said these options were produced after discussions with local businesses, who fear the loss of the car park will wreck their trade, and local residents.
The Save Union Terrace Car Park group have hailed their petition as “the largest in York’s modern history” after it topped 20,000 signatures, with spokesman Mark Braithwaite, of the Braithwaite Gallery in Low Petergate, saying: “This sale should be withdrawn at once and the council must go back to the drawing board to find another way of helping York St John to expand.”
Campaigners yesterday met MEP Diana Wallis at the car park to air their views after writing to her to seek support.
The way ahead
THE decision to sell without discussion the Union Terrace coach and car park resulted in York’s largest petition in modern history. This anger was justified, but at least now a consultation will explore the options.
Once the dust settles, let’s hope a compromise can be made. York St John University has laudable aspirations which would benefit the city, while traders have concerns that need to be heard.
This is a balancing act, but at least everyone should now have a say.
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