ALL OPTIONS should remain open in the York Castle Area public consultation, according to leading Coppergate II opponents today.

The Evening Press exclusively revealed yesterday that City of York Council was inviting views from across the city on the Castle Area's future.

But, while announcing the consultation, senior councillors warned that proposals to turn the Castle Area into green open space would be difficult to justify or implement.

Among the reasons for this were the £928,000 raised each year from car parking charges.

Members of the Castle Area Campaign, who fiercely opposed the Coppergate II plan, say they will push for the open space option to be included in the consultation.

Spokesman Gordon Campbell-Thomas said: "It seems to us that this smacks of the old Henry Ford quote about his Model T car 'You can have it in any colour you like, along as it is black'.

"If the Lib Dem-run city council doesn't want to go down the same road as the previous Labour administration, then it should be open and democratic, and trust the people of York.

"We the Castle Area Campaign have been open, democratic, and trusted the people of York, and they responded accordingly."

Council leader Steve Galloway today said the open space option had not been ruled out and members of the Castle Area Campaign were welcome to put the idea forward.

But he said: "What we are saying is that this is a particularly difficult option to deliver.

"There is the car parking income, and the fact that it would produce no value from the site, as nobody is going to buy the car park simply to grass it over."

Feedback from across York showed residents were more concerned about new open space in suburbs and villages than in the city centre, said Coun Galloway.

Updated: 10:41 Saturday, October 04, 2003