Bold new plans to redevelop the area around Clifford’s Tower are marred by ‘a couple of glaring omissions’.
That’s the view of York Conservative Group leader Paul Doughty.
Cllr Doughty has given a “cautious welcome” to the unveiling of the plans to revamp the area unveiled yesterday, which include a riverside park and performance space.
He said: “There are however a couple of glaring omissions in the announcement.
“Nowhere does it mention about guaranteed replacement parking for the hundreds of spaces currently beside Cliffords Tower – critical to city centre retailers and businesses – other than a suggestion of a few Blue Badge parking spaces on Tower Street.”
He said the Blue Badge spaces could not replace the numbers lost when Castle car park closes.
“That’s another slap in the face for disabled residents after what the LibDem / Green council has already done in removing blue badge parking and access in other parts of the city centre.”
The Castle car park – which is a major generator of revenue for City of York Council – would be replaced by a new multi-storey built on St George’s Field.
Cllr Doughty said: “Despite that planning application having gone through some time ago, it has all gone suspiciously quiet and there has to be concern that is now being kicked into the long grass.”
It is “only the Conservatives who are fighting for residents vehicular access to the city centre”, Cllr Doughty said.
“The Conservative Group formally ask the Lib Dem leader Cllr Aspden and his Green coalition partner Cllr D’Agorne to publicly promise to commit to replace all the parking spaces that will be lost with the Castle Gateway scheme.”
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