This is how a York shopping centre will look if plans to “rejuvenate” it get the go ahead.
Big changes are planned at the Coppergate Centre, one of the city’s most popular shopping destinations.
Mahavir Properties Limited has applied to remove the glass canopy on the Coppergate shops as a first step.
Planning documents state: “The Coppergate Centre occupies a transitional space between the historic fabric and the commercial core.
“Although the Coppergate Centre itself is recognised as being of limited heritage value, the public realm surrounding it, including St Mary’s Square, forms an important setting for the appreciation of the city’s historic assets.
“The existing canopy does not contribute to the historic significance of the site. It is a contemporary addition, unsympathetic in both form and material.
“It introduces visual clutter in a sensitive heritage setting.”
Getting rid of it means “clearer, unobstructed sightlines will better reveal adjacent heritage assets, such as St Mary’s Church”.
Removing the canopy is only the start when it comes to improving St Mary’s Square, in the middle of the Coppergate Centre.
“As the first step in a wider strategy to rejuvenate St Mary’s Square and its surrounding spaces, this proposal sets a strong precedent for high-quality place-making, sensitive heritage management, and the enhancement of York’s public spaces for residents, visitors, and businesses alike,” a planning statement says.
A visual included with the planning documents shows the square, minus surrounding canopies, turned into an area with planters and a children’s playground.
You can view and comment on the plans here.