TWO organisations are competing for £100,000 from a planning agreement for York’s Hungate scheme to help fund new community services.

Bids for funding have been submitted to City of York Council by: Hungate Community Development Trust (HCDT) , which wants to create a new community centre on the Hungate residential development site off Stonebow, involving a multi-cultural community cafe, small-scale theatre, acoustic music venue, and a small shop selling locally produced goods, along with a wi-fi enabled meeting space.

Central Methodist Church, which wants to carry out safety, accessibility and sustainability improvements at the church and ancillary buildings in nearby St Saviourgate, as it seeks to make best use for the continuing benefit and welfare of the community and visitors.

Charlie Croft, assistant director of communities at the council, said the planning committee had delegated authority to officers to grant permission for the latest phases of the Hungate scheme once a Section 106 agreement had been reached, including a £100,000 commuted payment towards community services to be managed by an appropriate organisation.

He said the council would probably need to consider the views and advice of a liaison advisory panel, and was consulting with the trust and church about their ideas, along with the developer and relevant elected members.

Gordon Campbell-Thomas, chairman of the HCDT, said: “If we succeed, and I am sure we will, we can create a dynamic, vibrant, multi-cultural community centre where people and community will be at the heart of everything we do. We will cater for the needs of residents and the wider public.”

Ian Miller, of Central Methodist Church, said it had invested more than £200,000 over the last two years seeking new ways of conserving and adapting its buildings to ensure the best use.

“Recently we have hosted schools, choirs, tourist attractions, charities and businesses for a range of events and activities. We have now identified a programme of safety, accessibility and sustainability improvements which will immediately benefit all users.”