Big wheel to stay after knife-edge vote (From York Press)
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Big wheel to stay after knife-edge vote
6:46pm Thursday 21st February 2013 in News
By Mark Stead, Political Reporter
YORK’S big wheel will stay until the end of September after a knife-edge council vote this evening.
City of York Council’s planning committee was split on whether the 53-metre observation wheel in the Royal York Hotel’s grounds, originally due to be dismantled within weeks, should be allowed to continue over the summer.
The application by the wheel’s owners, Freij Entertainment International, was approved on the casting vote of committee chairman Coun David Horton after an 8-8 tie on votes for and against.
Residents of nearby Westgate Apartments said the wheel should not remain because of noise, light and privacy issues, branding it a “parasite” on York’s landscape. Freij’s planning agents said only a handful of residents had objected and the wheel was not an intrusion.
Coun Julie Gunnell told the meeting she and fellow Micklegate councillors Dave Merrett and Sandy Fraser opposed the extension, saying: “This is about what residents are having to endure - when they bought their homes, they didn’t know this wheel would be put on their doorstep.”
Coun Horton said: “I don’t think the wheel is in the right place and I don’t think we would accept it being a permanent fixture, but you cannot see into apartments from it and not enough evidence has been provided to reject it.”
The wheel must be removed by October 31, rather than November 30 as Freij requested. A suggestion by Coun Mark Warters that it be taken down before the Remembrance Day service at Memorial Gardens was approved.
Comments(27)
Paul Meoff
says...
7:26pm Thu 21 Feb 13
monkeyhanger wrote:Should they also ban tourists from Germany and Japan for that hour as well?
The wheel must be removed by October 31, rather than November 30 as Freij requested. A suggestion by Coun Mark Warters that it be taken down before the Remembrance Day service at Memorial Gardens was approved.
I would say that the wheel has no relevance to to the rememberance service,however the noise from the buses and traffic drown out much of the service.Why for one hour once a year traffic cannot be stopped as a mark of respect is beyond me.
bob the builder
says...
7:41pm Thu 21 Feb 13
Ageing Hippy
says...
7:51pm Thu 21 Feb 13
York born and bred
says...
8:41pm Thu 21 Feb 13
Paul Meoff wrote:No, but they should ban your comments on this site, idiot. . .
monkeyhanger wrote:Should they also ban tourists from Germany and Japan for that hour as well?
The wheel must be removed by October 31, rather than November 30 as Freij requested. A suggestion by Coun Mark Warters that it be taken down before the Remembrance Day service at Memorial Gardens was approved.
I would say that the wheel has no relevance to to the rememberance service,however the noise from the buses and traffic drown out much of the service.Why for one hour once a year traffic cannot be stopped as a mark of respect is beyond me.
Paul Meoff
says...
8:51pm Thu 21 Feb 13
York born and bred wrote:No need to add your signature to the post.
Paul Meoff wrote:No, but they should ban your comments on this site, idiot. . .
monkeyhanger wrote:Should they also ban tourists from Germany and Japan for that hour as well?
The wheel must be removed by October 31, rather than November 30 as Freij requested. A suggestion by Coun Mark Warters that it be taken down before the Remembrance Day service at Memorial Gardens was approved.
I would say that the wheel has no relevance to to the rememberance service,however the noise from the buses and traffic drown out much of the service.Why for one hour once a year traffic cannot be stopped as a mark of respect is beyond me.
Even AndyD
says...
9:11pm Thu 21 Feb 13
bob the builder wrote:Agreed. How people who live in a permanent carbuncle can complain about a temporary facility beggars belief. Awful building, should never have been given permission. The irony is staggering.
Westgate is the carbuncle on the skyline, looks like a communist era block of flats!
NoNewsIsGoodNews
says...
9:22pm Thu 21 Feb 13
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
10:36pm Thu 21 Feb 13
Even AndyD wrote:The people who live there would perhaps not like where you live.
bob the builder wrote:Agreed. How people who live in a permanent carbuncle can complain about a temporary facility beggars belief. Awful building, should never have been given permission. The irony is staggering.
Westgate is the carbuncle on the skyline, looks like a communist era block of flats!
Live and let live, is my motto (on this)
Keep the wheel and keep the flats - both are serving a purpose and providing people who use them enjoyment !
pedalling paul
says...
10:41pm Thu 21 Feb 13
akaroa
says...
11:23pm Thu 21 Feb 13
NoNewsIsGoodNews
says...
12:14am Fri 22 Feb 13
pedalling paul wrote:Or you.
Good job the wheel was invented though.....we'd never have had bikes otherwise....!!
roclank2000
says...
6:00am Fri 22 Feb 13
ouseswimmer
says...
6:42am Fri 22 Feb 13
pedalling paul
says...
8:03am Fri 22 Feb 13
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:A bit slow on the uptake but never mind......can't expect everything!
pedalling paul wrote:Or you.
Good job the wheel was invented though.....we'd never have had bikes otherwise....!!
Alpha Kenny Thing
says...
8:54am Fri 22 Feb 13
pedalling paul wrote:Bore off
Good job the wheel was invented though.....we'd never have had bikes otherwise....!!
Garrowby Turnoff
says...
9:13am Fri 22 Feb 13
NoNewsIsGoodNews
says...
9:24am Fri 22 Feb 13
pedalling paul wrote:Don't worry, I'm sure you will catch up with the rest of society eventually.
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:A bit slow on the uptake but never mind......can't expect everything!
pedalling paul wrote:Or you.
Good job the wheel was invented though.....we'd never have had bikes otherwise....!!
pedalling paul
says...
9:53am Fri 22 Feb 13
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:Put your hat on...there's a woodpecker flying around.
pedalling paul wrote:Don't worry, I'm sure you will catch up with the rest of society eventually.
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:A bit slow on the uptake but never mind......can't expect everything!
pedalling paul wrote:Or you.
Good job the wheel was invented though.....we'd never have had bikes otherwise....!!
tobefair
says...
10:12am Fri 22 Feb 13
NoNewsIsGoodNews
says...
10:29am Fri 22 Feb 13
pedalling paul wrote:Peddling Paul, the king of comebacks?
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:Put your hat on...there's a woodpecker flying around.
pedalling paul wrote:Don't worry, I'm sure you will catch up with the rest of society eventually.
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:A bit slow on the uptake but never mind......can't expect everything!
pedalling paul wrote:Or you.
Good job the wheel was invented though.....we'd never have had bikes otherwise....!!
I think not.
tobefair
says...
12:32pm Fri 22 Feb 13
York1900
says...
1:20pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Hope YCC have got all there payments from them up front
YorkPatrol
says...
1:44pm Fri 22 Feb 13
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:Yes
Dare I say that I actually like the wheel.
Even AndyD
says...
5:06pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Scarlet Pimpernel wrote:You also miss my point, I'd happily leave the Westgate flats brigade alone, but they seem to be rather vocal about the wheel. Seems only fair to point out that some of us didn't want their building either - but democracy will out.
Even AndyD wrote:The people who live there would perhaps not like where you live.
bob the builder wrote:Agreed. How people who live in a permanent carbuncle can complain about a temporary facility beggars belief. Awful building, should never have been given permission. The irony is staggering.
Westgate is the carbuncle on the skyline, looks like a communist era block of flats!
Live and let live, is my motto (on this)
Keep the wheel and keep the flats - both are serving a purpose and providing people who use them enjoyment !
As for the wheel - I like it. Hides those awful flats! :-)
Well done on your new motto - I like it!
York born and bred
says...
8:30pm Sun 24 Feb 13
Paul Meoff wrote:Idiot. . .
York born and bred wrote:No need to add your signature to the post.
Paul Meoff wrote:No, but they should ban your comments on this site, idiot. . .
monkeyhanger wrote:Should they also ban tourists from Germany and Japan for that hour as well?
The wheel must be removed by October 31, rather than November 30 as Freij requested. A suggestion by Coun Mark Warters that it be taken down before the Remembrance Day service at Memorial Gardens was approved.
I would say that the wheel has no relevance to to the rememberance service,however the noise from the buses and traffic drown out much of the service.Why for one hour once a year traffic cannot be stopped as a mark of respect is beyond me.
BigJon
says...
9:48am Fri 1 Mar 13
monkeyhanger says...
7:15pm Thu 21 Feb 13
I would say that the wheel has no relevance to to the rememberance service,however the noise from the buses and traffic drown out much of the service.Why for one hour once a year traffic cannot be stopped as a mark of respect is beyond me.