A MULTI-MILLION-POUND redevelopment is planned at York's Castle Museum and more details have emerged of wider regeneration plans for the south of the city centre.

Up to £18 million could be poured into the museum over the next nine years, creating a new entrance and a link building to replace ageing 1970s facilities.

Riverside walks would be opened up to tie in with the city council's wider plans.

City of York Council documents released on Wednesday show officials want to demolish the crumbling Castle Mills car park on Piccadilly as soon as possible, and reveal that surveyors have been working on plans for an £18 million car park below the Castle Car Park.

The council announced its vision this week for the Castle Gateway area, around Clifford's Tower, Coppergate, Piccadilly and the Eye of York, and on Wednesday it provided more detail.

>>> See the new council documents here

An early stage deal has been drawn up to let the council work with developers Steamrock Capital - who own Ryedale House, Banana Warehouse and the Coppergate leasehold - on wider plans for the area.

The below sketch, produced by the council, suggests building on the part of Castle Car Park nearest the River Foss, enabling the section nearer Clifford's Tower to be developed into a high-quality public space.

York Press:

York Press:

As yet there is no funding behind the plans, a report by the council's assistant director for regeneration Tracey Carter says, meaning that financing the high quality public spaces they want will be tricky. The whole vision for the area could rely heavily on the value of council land - of which most valuable is the Castle Car Park.

However, the report also points out that the historic area has numerous conservation and heritage restrictions, and building plans that ignore them have failed in the past.

It has also emerged that surveyors from Arup have already looked at replacement car parking options - and say a two tier underground park beneath the Castle Car Park would cost £18 million, or a multi storey on the Castle Mills site would cost £7.5 million.

Meanwhile, a heads of terms agreement is ready to be signed setting up partnership between the council and Steamrock Capital, and Ms Carter's report says it presents "potentially realistic and tangible options" for the wider redevelopment.

Meanwhile Reyahn King, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said a revamped Castle Museum could play a key part in the regeneration of the area.

“York Castle Museum sits in one of York’s most historically significant sites. We believe there is huge potential for this whole area to be transformed into a much more inviting and usable public space which will help attract hundreds of thousands of extra visitors to this part of the city," she said.

Their plans would feature new immersive experiences and displays to tell the story of the Castle site and its impact on the North of England, and walks along the river beside the Raindale watermill and original Castle walls.

Ms King added: "The atmospheric immersive nature of Kirkgate, our Victorian street, will be extended in 21st-century ways and new displays will bring out the personal stories and historic events that make both the site and the collections so relevant and intriguing to this day."

This would include walking through the recently developed Castle gardens and by Raindale watermill and original Castle walls. 

An application to Heritage Lottery Fund is planned for December 2018 for a large proportion of the money.

If successful it is estimated the project would be finished in 2026. 

Mrs King added: "We are working closely with the City of York Council so our plans enhance and complement their wider vision for the Castle Gateway area and the much needed improvement of this nationally significant historical site” 

The Museums Trust is at the very early stages of planning the details of the development and seeks initial feedback. Anyone who would like to be included in consultation shoudl email enquries@ymt.org.uk