‘Close eye’ to be kept on cost of city scheme

A SENIOR councillor has stressed that a close check will be maintained on the use of taxpayers’ money to finance an ambitious vision to transform the district around one of the North of England’s most famous historical monuments.

York Council’s executive will meet on Tuesday next week to discuss the long-awaited plans for the so-called Castle Gateway project, which is centred on the city’s famous Clifford’s Tower.

The proposals are aimed at increasing access around the tower, which is one of the last remaining parts of York’s medieval castle, as well as creating much-needed city centre accommodation to tackle York’s affordable housing problems.

Phase one of the masterplan includes building a multi-storey car park in the nearby St George’s Field to replace the existing Castle car park at the foot of Clifford’s Tower, freeing up land to create a new public space.

A new public park is also set to be created at the rear of the Castle Museum with a riverside pocket park on Piccadilly, while 106 new apartments are due to be built at Castle Mills, including new affordable council housing. New commercial units for small independent traders are due to be constructed and a new pedestrian cycle crossing built over the inner ring road.

The council’s executive member for finance and performance, Coun Nigel Ayre, said: “We remain aware that costs can change, so we’ll make sure we consider the plans further when we have detailed tendered prices for delivery.”

The executive is committing £2.15m to appoint a contractor to carry out the next stage of design work to finalise the costs, before a further report is considered by the council. Work on the new car park is expected to be completed by the summer of 2022, with the Castle Mills and Foss Bridge developments finished by the spring of 2023.