THE vision of a new floating arts centre in the heart of York has suffered a blow with city planners recommending the plans are not approved.

The Arts Barge project has been waiting for a planning decision from City of York Council for six months, but now documents reveal it is not being backed by council officials.

A planning application went in for a a permanent mooring for the barge in Tower Gardens, near Skeldergate Bridge in July 2016.

The case is due before the council’s planning committee next week, but a report published ahead of that meeting shows planning staff recommending the permission be refused.

Planning officer Rachel Tyas said the arts venue would attract more people through the riverside gardens and harm their quiet character, while the sight of the barge would not fit with the historic surroundings such as Skeldergate Bridge and views of Clifford’s Tower.

>>> See the planning report here

The proposals are to moor the 31-metre Selby Tony - currently being repaired in the Foss Basin - on permanent pilings in the riverbed.

The barge’s hull would be roofed to create a main performance space, with a new structure and outdoor seating area on the upper deck. The new barge would be a home for community arts and performances, with an example schedule including everything from yoga classes to parent and child “make and play” sessions, school visits, drama, film screenings, and music lasting until around 11pm.

York Press:

The council’s own planning and development management teams said that while the project’s aims are laudable, they worried about the impact it could have on the area.

Ms Tyas wrote: “Proposed hours of opening are very long and the effect of the changes on existing diurnal patterns of use in this small garden area is still difficult to judge, especially at night. Existing uses across the river and adjacent to the gardens are now mostly residential and the river area is quite dark.”

The report also suggests that moving the upper deck away from Skeldergate Bridge, or making it smaller, could make the proposals look more authentic. Objections also came from many residents nearby, worried about noise and disturbance, and the risks of anti social behaviour caused by a new drinking venue on the riverside.

There were 110 objections from the public but 156 wrote in support of the project, and York Civic Trust backed the scheme, saying it would bring a lively and positive ambiance to the river, and be an economic and cultural asset for York.

This is not the first time the Tower Gardens havs been proposed and refused as the site of a new attraction. In 2005, World Tourist Attractions were denied permission to put a giant observation wheel in riverside garden.