Campaigners axe judicial review bid to stop York museum’s expansion

A RESIDENTS’ campaign to halt the National Railway Museum’s Central Hall project has been abandoned after it failed to raise sufficient funds for a judicial review.

As reported in issue 297, on August 4 the City of York Council’s planning committee approved the museum’s reserved matters application for the proposed rotunda-style gallery and welcome space which will join both ‘halves’ of the venue by building the hall as a link between Great Hall and Station Hall across Leeman Road.

£30k target

The Justice for Leeman Road campaign was set up to contest the planning permission on the grounds that the project could cut off a direct route to the city centre for about 4000 residents.

As part of the planning consent, an alternative – but longer – route must be provided before Leeman Road is closed.

A crowdfunding page was set up with a £30,000 target to finance legal proceeding against the council. It raised more than £5000 within five days, but the appeal slowed down to about £7500 – enough to start the proceedings but not enough to see it through to the end, it was decided.

A spokesman for the campaign group said that the decision not to proceed with the judicial review was taken “with huge regret” and it was decided that it was not fair “to ask the community to contribute further during these difficult times.”

He said that other avenues may now be pursued in the group’s bid to get the museum’s plans changed.