Work to transform York car park into an event space begins

Plans to transform Castle Car Park into public space are already underway.

City of York Council wants to shut the car park at the base of Clifford’s Tower and turn it into an open-air event space and park area – as part of the Castle Gateway scheme.

Design work has already started on the proposals, with a planning application due to be submitted in the summer, according to a council update.

Council officers want plans for Castle Car Park to be “shovel ready” in case government funding becomes available.

The council has vowed not to shut the car park until alternative parking has been created. Plans for a new multi storey at St George’s Field were approved in January.

But a decision on whether or not to actually build the five storey car park will be made by senior councillors in the autumn.

‘Significant progress’

The Castle Mills area of the development – which will see 106 apartments built in Piccadilly and a new pedestrian and cycle bridge installed over the river Foss – has got planning permission and work is underway to appoint a contractor and set a price for the work.

An update for senior councillors in the agenda for a recent executive meeting says: “There has been significant progress on the Castle Gateway project.

“Planning permission has been secured for both Castle Mills and the new St George’s Field multi-storey car park which are the first key sites in the delivery of the masterplan.

“Procurement is under way to appoint a contractor to undertake the detailed design of Castle Mills and provide a tender price for construction.

“At that point a report will be brought to the Executive in the autumn of 2021 to approve the project and allocate the total construction budget, and to decide whether to proceed with the procurement of a contractor for St George’s Field.

“This would provide the replacement car parking which would allow Castle Car Park to close to be replaced with new public space.”