This Wheel's fired (From York Press)

This Wheel's fired

12:55am Sunday 1st February 2009 in

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When the other political parties do the right thing I am only too pleased to congratulate them. So today's decision by the Lib Dem Executive to reject the plan of World Tourist Attractions to site an observation wheel in North Street Gardens is most welcome.

The Executive reasserts its previous position that attractions of this sort are welcome in the City but need to be sited sensitively and without either prejudicing existing amenity provision or threatening the city’s visual heritage.

North Street Gardens is not considered suitable for the development, due to the potential damage to the historic environment, the limited size of the site and concerns about flooding and accessibility.

I'd made these points myself while speaking at the meeting of the Executive, so it's nice to hear your own words coming back to you! ; ) What irritated me the most was the company’s apparently entrenched position that North Street Gardens was the only site it would consider… and if the Council would not agree it will take its Wheel elsewhere!

WTA backed-off during the meeting as its Director could see that the hardline 'North Street or nothing' position was having a detrimental effect on his chances. So maybe another more-suitable site could be found.

Personally, I thought it was perfectly fine where it was at the National Railway Museum.