Large scale plans to build apartments, a hotel and a Roman museum have been criticised by historic conservation experts.
Historic England says the Roman Quarter development would damage York city centre.
After the original plans were thrown out by City of York Council, revised plans were submitted, to include a new Roman museum, to be called Eboracum. An 88-room aparthotel, 153 new apartments and new office space is included in the scheme.
But Historic England, the public body that champions the historic environment, has objected to the scheme. It says:
The current proposals will harm the significance of the city’s rich historic environment.
The complete excavation of one third of the site would cause a high degree of harm to the archaeology.
We consider the rationale for this to be confused and contradictory.
Considerable harm would also be caused to the character of the character of the York Central Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings including the Grade I All Saints’ Church.
The organisation is critical of the plans for the potential archaeology underneath the site, which are put forward in consultation with partner the York Archaeological Trust.
It regrets “the proposed wholesale removal of the archaeology across a third of the site to enable the construction of a visitor attraction” which “involves the complete removal of an irreplaceable resource”.
Historic England goes on:
If, as claimed, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, the whole site should be evaluated to identify the area with the greatest archaeological potential, enable the full impact of the development to be understood and appropriate mitigation formulated.
‘Overbearing’ contrast
A partnership between joint applicants Rougier Street Developments, owners of the site, and York Archaeological Trust, the Roman Quarter plan has been submitted for planning permission.
The developers say the scheme has been fully redesigned, taking on board feedback from the council and other stakeholders after the first version was rejected. Councillors called the original version a ‘monolith’.
[tptn_list limit=3 daily=1 hour_range=1]
Historic England said it had no discussions with developers before the new plans were submitted. It says the building proposed to replace Northern House on Rougier Street “is taller, occupies a larger footprint and fails to provide the transition to its neighbours that, for all its faults, Northern House achieves”.
It goes on: “The two-storey building at No1 Rougier Street will be replaced by an apart-hotel that will be 5 storeys with a roof terrace at its lowest point.
“The consequent contrast with the cluster of modest medieval buildings around All Saints’ Church will be stark and the presence of the new building overbearing.
“These proposals will have a considerable detrimental affect on the immediate setting of the Grade I church and degrade its presence as a landmark in views from vantage points within the city, such as from Clifford’s Tower.”
You can read all about the plans at the City of York Council planning portal here.