Nigel Woolner told the public inquiry into the £60 million scheme: "The buildings are designed to form a calm, understated setting for the listed buildings in the context of Clifford's Tower and the Eye of York, while not attempting to compete with them."

Mr Woolner is senior partner with Chapman Taylor, architects for Land Securities' controversial project to redevelop land between the tower and Piccadilly.

He is only the second witness to speak at the inquiry at the Guildhall, and he had been due to appear on Tuesday afternoon, but only began giving evidence late yesterday afternoon.

The slow pace of the inquiry was already raising concerns from key parties yesterday that it could run on for longer than the scheduled three weeks, causing higher than expected costs to the taxpayer and also other practical difficulties.

Mr Woolner, who submitted a new image of the proposed buildings near Clifford's Tower, strongly defended the designs drawn up by his firm, which have come under fierce fire from critics of the scheme.

He said considerable thought had been given to all aspects of urban and detailed design to create buildings with a character appropriate to their surroundings.

"They will be constructed from high quality materials that will weather gracefully over the years."

Much of the controversy surrounding the proposed development has focused on the design and proximity of buildings fronting onto Clifford's Tower.

But Mr Woolner said the development had been set back significantly from it and the height reduced to create more public open space and a "calm setting" for the tower.

"The architectural approach is one of creating simple uncluttered buildings in high quality naturally weathering materials that allow the existing historic architectural set pieces to speak for themselves."

He said great care had been taken to "achieve a transition from the informality of brick and stone and pitched roofs in Castlegate to the civic scale of the stone courts building and Castle Museum which enclose the Eye of York" .

Mr Woolner told the inquiry that his practice had been the architects for the original award-winning Coppergate Centre, and enjoyed a long association with the townscape of historic York.

When the design for Riverside had been drawn up, close regard had been paid to the reasons for the refusal of planning permission for a previous scheme and each one had been addressed in detail and resolved.

In relation to proposals to develop the banks of the River Foss, Mr Woolner said this was currently "something of a backwater with unexploited environmental potential flanked by rundown warehouse buildings and the surface car park."

"The conceptual approach has been to open up an underused resource for public enjoyment, whilst incorporating and preserving the existing ecology."

In Piccadilly, the approach was to create a "busy urban edge, incorporating new bus stops, associated services and a lively urban streetscape."

The inquiry continues.

Updated: 16:50 Friday, January 25, 2002