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Drive on to find new big wheel site in York

8:42am Monday 22nd March 2010 in


ORGANISERS say they are still committed to bringing a big wheel back to York, despite delays in lodging a planning application.

But it is unclear whether Great City Attractions (GCA) will be able to install a wheel in time for this summer’s tourist season.

Nigel Ward, the company’s head of global site development, said last autumn the company was examining several potential locations and hoped to pinpoint one particular site by early this year, allowing it to submit an application to City of York Council.

But with Easter nearly here, he said today: “We are still in discussions over possible locations and doing a full assessment.”

He said GCA was “very committed” to working with the city to find a suitable wheel site.

York council leader Andrew Waller said the authority was “very willing” to help the operators to find a suitable location for a wheel.

“Officers have responded to requests for advice on planning, transport and heritage issues,” he said.

GCA and its predecessor, World Tourist Attractions (WTA), have been dogged by problems since they started trying to find a new site.

The wheel was successfully sited at the National Railway Museum for two-and-a-half years – attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors - before being dismantled in November 2008. WTA originally attempted to install a replacement next to the Park Inn Hotel in North Street but this was vetoed due to environmental concerns.

The company then came up with plans to erect a 60-metre high wheel in the St George’s Field car park for a three-month period.

But the Environment Agency objected because the area regularly floods and North Yorkshire Police said it would distract motorists on the inner ring road, and could lead to accidents.

Coun Waller said today he understood steps had been taken to alleviate the agency’s concerns over St George’s Field, but at the moment there was no planning application. Mr Ward said last autumn he could not rule out another attempt to site the wheel at St George’s Field.

Comments(21)

pablo2009 says...
8:54am Mon 22 Mar 10

"attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors " - A gross exaggeration i would say - how many people would have come to York anyway
Residents do not want this cheap gimmick in their wonderful city

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pablo2009 says...
8:54am Mon 22 Mar 10

"attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors " - A gross exaggeration i would say - how many people would have come to York anyway
Residents do not want this cheap gimmick in their wonderful city

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yorkandproud says...
8:59am Mon 22 Mar 10

Here we go again. Waller and Galloway and cronies need to get their own city business in order first. The Lib Dems seem determined to help this private company and its wheel at all costs. Why?

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LittleTed says...
9:03am Mon 22 Mar 10

I dont want the bloody eyesore back again, and I know that most of my fellow Yorkists are in agreement.

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sheps lad says...
9:20am Mon 22 Mar 10

Might look good in Foxwood Lane?

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nobodyknowswhoiam says...
9:21am Mon 22 Mar 10

Two spots spring to mind..Hazel Court or maybe Clanceys

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Kiff says...
10:36am Mon 22 Mar 10

"attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors".
If you are seriously suggesting that the only reason tourists come to York is that bl**dy wheel, then the tourist industry might as well give up now. I suspect the "real" reason they come include The Minister, The Shambles, Jorvik, The Walls, The Air museum, the Dungeon..... quick go on an overblown fairground wheel is hardly in the same league

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Older Sometimes Wiser says...
11:06am Mon 22 Mar 10

The big wheel is just not relevant to this historic City. City planners and councillors just do not get the point. For example see the latest excrescence that has just been placed in the Coppergate Centre between M&S and the old church.This I am told is to be a Cornish Pasty outlet, build at a reputed cost of £60K ( so said one of the builders). This totally spoils the visual impact of this area and makes what was a modern pedestrian area into a visual mess.
How this got passed without public comment I do not know and I doubt whether the existing stores will approve!

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peepod says...
11:08am Mon 22 Mar 10

I think the wheel is a great idea. I'm sure people won't visit York just for the wheel but it's in addition to everything else. The wheel adds something new to the character of York. Why can't we have something modern, something good? A mix of old and new architecture/sights is what makes this country diverse and different.

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evelyn_trent says...
12:33pm Mon 22 Mar 10

HUNGATE! What else could you want? City centre site; lots of space; undeveloped; walking distance to all the sites; potential views of the Minster, Clifford's Tower, the Wolds, even the Dig going on below; lots of bus routes; flat; empty; adjacent car park...

It's obvious!

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Garrowby Turnoff says...
12:39pm Mon 22 Mar 10

We want a wheel
We want a wheel
Ee aye addio
We want a wheel

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peepod says...
12:50pm Mon 22 Mar 10

evelyn_trent wrote:
HUNGATE! What else could you want? City centre site; lots of space; undeveloped; walking distance to all the sites; potential views of the Minster, Clifford's Tower, the Wolds, even the Dig going on below; lots of bus routes; flat; empty; adjacent car park...

It's obvious!
Agreed!

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jez b says...
1:11pm Mon 22 Mar 10

yorkandproud wrote:
Here we go again. Waller and Galloway and cronies need to get their own city business in order first. The Lib Dems seem determined to help this private company and its wheel at all costs. Why?
It will be part of York's new theme park GallowayWorld.

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tgfoy says...
1:15pm Mon 22 Mar 10

Like the Hungate idea, if not how about the museum gardens? There is no doubt the wheel was a popular attraction alongside all the others in the city.
Mind if I was being really mischievious (sp) how about the eye of York to replace the christmas Ice rink ;-)

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Mullarkian says...
2:19pm Mon 22 Mar 10

Put it in Tang Hall or Kingsway or St Pauls Square

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pedalling paul says...
5:43pm Mon 22 Mar 10

I suspect that at the moment, the developers have not submitted a formal planning application. They will perhaps be having the customary preliminary discussions with CoYC Planning Officers, which precede a major or potentially controversial application. Councillors are not involved at this stage.
If the developer decides to submit an application, it will have to be fully considered by Planning Officers, then passed to elected Councillors with a recommendation for refusal or acceptance with or without conditions.
A recommendation for refusal must be weighed against the likelihood that a developer may appeal and win, with legal costs awarded against CoYC.
I suggest that commentators wait until a planning application reaches the cross-party Committee of Councillors, before embarking on further political diatribes.

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King Edward says...
7:01pm Mon 22 Mar 10

yorkandproud wrote:
Here we go again. Waller and Galloway and cronies need to get their own city business in order first. The Lib Dems seem determined to help this private company and its wheel at all costs. Why?
You need to ask? Start with the companies involved and the directors, run down the tree of family members, marital relatives etc.... and you'll find an answer - money!

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petethefeet says...
9:07pm Mon 22 Mar 10

peepod wrote:
I think the wheel is a great idea. I'm sure people won't visit York just for the wheel but it's in addition to everything else. The wheel adds something new to the character of York. Why can't we have something modern, something good? A mix of old and new architecture/sights is what makes this country diverse and different.
We got something modern ca'sonce. Itlled Stonebow House. Yuk!

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peepod says...
3:38pm Tue 23 Mar 10

The positive side to the wheel is an increase in visitors and revenue to the city. In 2008 the NRM announced record profits and visitor numbers not seem in over 20 years. There are many suitable sites for the wheel, but too many people are stuck in their old ways and will find objections, these same people won’t find any positives just negatives.

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Robert Davro says...
8:37am Wed 24 Mar 10

Put it in Selby!

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fenderbassman says...
4:54pm Wed 24 Mar 10

stick it outside P P`s house then he can have three wheels on his bike!

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The Yorkshire Wheel at the National Railway Museum The big wheel which was located outside the National Railway Museum for more than two years until 2008

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