TRIBUTES have been paid to one of York's key environmental figures who has died, aged 71.

Trevor John Hart, who was a former chairman of York Natural Environment Trust and influential in various environmental campaigns, died on November 7.

Among his achievements as chairman was the creation of St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve in the early 1990s.

His family said he would be sorely missed by those who knew him, with his son Liam saying: "He was interested in people, a sociable and engaging man who was happy to help others and offer advice. One of his students described him as being like a wise grandfather in this respect.

"He had a keen interested in the built and natural environment, which was reflected throughout his career and voluntary work."

Mr Hart's friend Gordon Campbell-Thomas, a former chairman of the Friends of St Nicholas Fields, added: "Trevor influenced people by his charm and happy demeanour and ability to get things done. He will be sadly missed."

Born in Ipswich on July 19 1946, Mr Hart attended Ipswich Grammar School before reading Economics at Lancaster University from 1964 to 1967.

His father, Wilfred Hart, was born on Fishergate in York in the early 20th century, and his uncle, Fred A. Hart has his name on the York City War Memorial in Leeman Road.

During his life, Mr Hart worked for Runcorn Development Corporation, as well as in Local Government in Somerset, involved in town planning, economic development and tourism. He was a consultant for Binder Hamyln and Spicers for Europe, and a senior lecturer in Town & Country Planning at Leeds Metropolitan University, University of Dundee and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

He lived in York from 1987 to 1998 during which time he was also Chair of York Housing Association.

He spent the last 20 years of his life in Saltaire, West Yorkshire where he was an active member of Saltaire History Club and actively involved in the steering group to build Saltaire Stories- a website resource for groups/schools researching and studying Saltaire.

Lay person on Individual Funding Request panels (for treatments not routinely funded by the NHS) for Bradford Primary Care Trust

Most recently Mr Hart was a Visiting Research Fellow at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at Newcastle University. He had a number of years of experience of practice in planning and economic development. He had also worked as a consultant, mainly involved in the evaluation of government and EU regeneration programmes. He recently produced, with colleagues at the university, an update of Cullingworth’s classic Town & Country Planning in the UK.

He had a number of years’ experience of practice in planning and economic development in rural areas and was recently engaged in a number of evaluation studies involving the impact of enterprise policy in deprived communities, graduate recruitment in small businesses and the impact of social enterprise.

He recently edited and updated "Town and Country Planning in the UK" a major textbook for all town planning students.

He also co-authored 2015 Market Towns and co-wrote 2017 "Planning for Small Town Change" with Neil Powe.

He leaves behind his partner and three children, Toby, Liam and Dominic, and three grandchildren.