A date has been set for the public inquiry into the closure of Leeman Road in York.
The permanent closure to traffic of the busy road is being proposed as part of the development of York Central.
It would enable the National Railway Museum to expand with a new building across the width of the road, which it hopes to do by 2025, in time for their 50th anniversary.
But more than 400 people have objected to the plan. Residents are worried about a number of things, including the inferior quality and inconvenience of alternative routes once the road is closed.
They won their fight to hold a public inquiry in November.
Today, the dates for that public inquiry have been revealed.
It will begin on Tuesday, 27 April this year, and it’s expected to last for six days.
‘Selfish development’
Holgate ward councillor Kallum Taylor welcomed the news.
“I’d like to think the case is already crystal clear that this is not just bad development on the Railway Museum’s part, but quite selfish development,” the Labour councillor told David Dunning on YorkMix Radio.
“We’ve had hundreds of well written objections. Those arguments still stand because nothing’s changed.
Listen: Cllr Taylor on the public inquiry
“The inquiry gives us the opportunity to have those objections heard in front of an independent body – not the council, which is biased in this because it’s part of the York Central development.
“We’ll see what happens. This is the opportunity we’ve fought for it’s the opportunity we’ve got.”
After the inquiry, a government planning inspector will rule whether the closure of Leeman Road can go ahead as proposed.