A decision on whether to approve a “deeply controversial” plan to build a new central hall at the National Railway Museum (NRM) has been deferred – after a mammoth five hour meeting.
Councillors questioned whether the application had taken into account the needs of disabled people after public speakers raised concerns about access through the site.
The proposed rotunda will unite the two halves of the railway museum, cutting off Leeman Road, a direct route to and from the city centre for people living in the area.
People will be able to walk through the new hall, but only when the museum is open.
Councillors were told they could not discuss the walkway agreement – which dictates how people will be able to get through the hall – as it did not form part of the NRM’s planning application.
Several speakers from York’s business community backed the proposal, but all residents were against the plan.
Jane Burton, of York Disability Rights Forum, said disabled residents had been “an afterthought”.
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“There is no evidence of any equalities impact assessment on the alternative routes provided,” she added. “They are too long, potentially unsafe and one [the riverside path] is liable to flooding.”
Criticisms were also levelled at the design, despite NRM bosses pointing out it had won awards.
Cllr Janet Looker said: “I find it very underwhelming. If we can’t get ambition on such an iconic site as this then we really are letting down the citizens of York and international visitors.”
‘World class’
Cllr Jonny Crawshaw said he had been a lifelong fan of the museum and wanted it to expand.
But he added: “This has all the potential to be a huge benefit for the whole city, but it can’t be done at the expense of a significant number of next door neighbours.”
Cllr Tony Fisher and Cllr Nigel Ayre said they could not see a reason in planning law to refuse the application.
“Having said that, I do wish the NRM had found a way to provide 24/7 access through the site,” Cllr Fisher added.
NRM director Judith McNichol told the committee the proposal was “world class”.
“As Central Hall comes to life, so will safer, cleaner, green, new alternative routes for pedestrians, cyclists and cars,” she added.
Cllr Michael Pavlovic, who moved the deferral of the application, said: “The authority has failed to evidence that it has taken into account the needs of people with disabilities.”
A vote to approve the application was lost, before a majority of councillors voted for deferral.
Speaking after the meeting, Holgate ward councillor Rachel Melly said: “This deferral prolongs residents’ uncertainty about their fate, but hopefully will allow time for full consideration to be given to the enormous impacts of this development.
“As ward councillors we still object to these plans, which would permanently remove the only direct, safe, always available walking and cycling access to the city centre for thousands of residents.”
The NRM directors need to note that Architectural Awards mean diddlysquat and are handed out like candy after the receipt of an appropriate fee. Even the de Grey Court building got an Award. The main qualification usually is that is ugly, out of place, and disobeys every architectural rule.