Ruling councillors back new York wheel site (From York Press)
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Ruling councillors back new York wheel site
9:20am Wednesday 18th March 2009 in News
By Gavin Aitchison, gavin.aitchison@thepress.co.uk
How St George’s Field car park might look if the wheel is sited there
PLANS to bring a big wheel back to York have cleared the first hurdle, after ruling councillors gave tentative approval to a new site.
World Tourist Attractions wants to put a wheel in St George’s Field car park for three months, to gauge public opinion.
The ruling executive of City of York Council, which owns the car park, yesterday agreed to the idea in principle. WTA will now draw up a detailed application, for consideration by the council’s planning committee.
Damon Copperthwaite, assistant director of city development, told yesterday’s meeting that a letter of objection had been received from Bishops Wharf management company, which represents people living in flats across the Ouse from St George’s Field, but he said the objections were a matter for the planning committee.
Council leader Andrew Waller said: “As landowner, we would be expected to give a view here. There is no intrinsic reason why the wheel should not be on that site, although there may be views expressed at the planning meeting.”
Former leader Steve Galloway, now responsible for city strategy, said nobody at the council had forced WTA to move from their previous site, beside the National Railway Museum in Leeman Road, and said their more recent request to site a wheel beside the Park Inn Hotel in North Street had been inappropriate.
The executive also yesterday approved plans to press ahead with trying to make York an official World Heritage site.
Former Lord Mayor Janet Hopton said York had wasted a chance to attain the status in 1990, and said this would be the last chance to rectify that until 2022.
Sir Ron Cooke, chairman of the Without Walls group and former vice-chancellor of the University of York, said the city ticked all the boxes for World Heritage recognition, saying: “It is unequivocally an area of outstanding status.”
Coun Christian Vassie, responsible for leisure and culture, said it was vital that York emphasised its social history and impressive documentary archives, rather than focussing on buildings such as the Minster.
Coun Waller said attaining status would not be easy, but said: “If we were to kill off this opportunity, I do not think we would be forgiven.”
The executive also formally opposed plans for a new £6 million link road for Bishopthorpe, saying it would be too expensive and yield too few benefits. That matter will now be referred back to a meeting of the whole council.
Comments(24)
oldgoat
says...
9:47am Wed 18 Mar 09
SELBY :-) wrote:Well, with a bit of luck, it would simply float away in the first bad flood next year and get washed up somewhere that actually wants the thing.
Forgive me if Im missing something but is a car park that floods the best place for a wheel??
Of course, they could market it as the first 'underwater' viewing wheel.
Mullarkian
says...
9:49am Wed 18 Mar 09
Yorkborn
says...
9:50am Wed 18 Mar 09
I just wonder how many car parking spaces are going to be lost to site this wheel. I appreciate that York has oodles of parking space availability for York residents and our Visitors and that the queues to the Castle and Piccadilly car parks are just a figment of my imagination.
micky moodys hat
says...
9:53am Wed 18 Mar 09
I just wonder how many car parking spaces are going to be lost to site this wheel. I appreciate that York has oodles of parking space availability for York residents and our Visitors and that the queues to the Castle and Piccadilly car parks are just a figment of my imagination.
Ahem, Park and ride
Paula_T
says...
10:02am Wed 18 Mar 09
NotChrisHNorris
says...
10:07am Wed 18 Mar 09
Soothsayer2.0
says...
10:22am Wed 18 Mar 09
York should be competing with Prague, not Blackpool.
Chumpy
says...
10:28am Wed 18 Mar 09
NotChrisHNorris
says...
10:32am Wed 18 Mar 09
Chumpy wrote:Thanks for that - now I can concentrate on some work!
Pedalling P is fine, but is busy at the moment stalking York’s new cycling chief Graham Titchener
johnrich37
says...
11:02am Wed 18 Mar 09
York should be competing with Prague, not Blackpool"
Agreed, but we would have to import the girls!
Taken for a Mug
says...
11:22am Wed 18 Mar 09
Chumpy wrote:How long before they are pictured together on a tandem?
Pedalling P is fine, but is busy at the moment stalking York’s new cycling chief Graham Titchener
Chumpy
says...
11:35am Wed 18 Mar 09
Taken for a Mug wrote:On the naked bike ride through York arrrgggggg
Chumpy wrote: Pedalling P is fine, but is busy at the moment stalking York’s new cycling chief Graham TitchenerHow long before they are pictured together on a tandem?
Beckster
says...
12:03pm Wed 18 Mar 09
Peace
says...
12:20pm Wed 18 Mar 09
They should put it on the top of Stonebow House....
York1900
says...
12:36pm Wed 18 Mar 09
mystic_genius
says...
12:50pm Wed 18 Mar 09
York1900 wrote:
Well English Heritage may objecte come to the conclusion that it is a unsuitable site for such use
...after they start installing it there...
bishboy
says...
1:30pm Wed 18 Mar 09
Or in this case not want.
keepitshut
says...
2:07pm Wed 18 Mar 09
Dont think the showmen are going to be very happy about sharing the space with the big wheel.
Grumpy Old Feller
says...
3:40pm Wed 18 Mar 09
LittleTed
says...
4:11pm Wed 18 Mar 09
*
It's been given the go ahead.
the butler
says...
5:11pm Wed 18 Mar 09
York is not Vienna, Put a swimming pool where the old one used to be, but don't forget the recurring flood levels!
Yorkborn
says...
8:48pm Wed 18 Mar 09
Ahem, Park & Ride?
Great if your spending all day in York. I despise the F****** place so much, I only venture in as a MUST to pay a bill etc. Park & ride? To carry out a 30 minute task, I have more to do with my time.
The Wheel ? Shove the thing into the nearest skip, and let me carry out a simple task in a short space of time, without having to endure the likes of you Muesli munching to******!
pedalling paul
says...
10:07pm Wed 18 Mar 09
Chumpy wrote:I'm not biting......!
Taken for a Mug wrote:On the naked bike ride through York arrrggggggChumpy wrote: Pedalling P is fine, but is busy at the moment stalking York’s new cycling chief Graham TitchenerHow long before they are pictured together on a tandem?
SELBY :-) says...
9:38am Wed 18 Mar 09