REDEVELOPMENT plans for York’s Guildhall complex have been given final approval by councillors.

The deal to create a business centre in the former council offices, along with a cafe and riverside restaurant, was voted through at a full meeting of the city council on Thursday evening.

Before the vote was taken council leader David Carr clashed with opposition councillors over the plans.

Labour’s Dafydd Williams said the scheme was exactly the same as one proposed by the previous Labour administration but had been delayed for “political posturing” costing a £2 million lottery grant and extra running costs, but Cllr Carr said his group was committed to delivering where the Labour group had not.

At the same meeting council leaders faced questions over a new housing deal being struck between York and the government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Labour councillors asked whether the agreement, which will see publicly owned land like some former school sites in York built on, will be value for money and create the types of homes York needs.

Cllr Carr said although the deal was at a very early stage, the HCA had stringent requirements on affordability.

Cllr Carr said he could not guarantee playing fields at the former Manor School would not be built on, but he agreed that corner of the city had a shortage of open space and pledged to meet Acomb councillor Stuart Barnes and others to talk about the future of the site.

Later the councillors backed two proposals to improve the city centre - by cracking down on aggressive gag mag sellers and “chuggers”, and by bidding for Purple Flag status to show the city’s night life is welcoming, safe and clean.