COPPERGATE Riverside represents a "unique and essential" opportunity to extend the city centre and strengthen its viability, a council boss was due to tell an inquiry this afternoon.

Land Securities' £60 million scheme to redevelop land between Clifford's Tower and Piccadilly would help prevent the decline of city centre shopping in favour of out-of-town centres, according to Roy Templeman, director of environment and development services at City of York Council.

He was to say, in his proof of evidence, that the development also presented an opportunity to connect the historic centres of the Eye of York, Castle Museum and Clifford's Tower, with the Minster.

Mr Templeman was to speak on the fifth day of a public inquiry into Land Securities' proposals, for shops, restaurants and apartments, which were approved by the council last year before an inquiry was ordered by the Government.

Mr Templeman was due to say there was an urgent need for the development, to arrest the outflow of expenditure from the city centre to other centres, which was increasing over time and was more difficult to claw back the greater it was.

"There is an existing and increasing pressure for retailers to locate away from the city centre," he was to say.

If the scheme did not go ahead, it was highly likely that additional out-of-town shopping floor space would be promoted to meet an identified need.

And there would be difficulties for the planning authority in resisting such pressure for out-of-town developments.

Mr Templeman was to warn of the dangers of a "declining spiral" for York if the city centre's attractiveness was not maintained.

"All too often we have seen across the country examples where cities and towns have relaxed and lost their focus on the need to maintain policies and promote actions which encourage investment in their centres."

The net effect in some towns had been a wholesale loss of retail and leisure investments with a loss of attractiveness to visitors and residents.

The proposal would vastly increase the quality of the urban environment in Piccadilly and along the Foss.

"The development proposal has effectively sought to address the historic, present day and future needs of the site and the city centre."

The inquiry continues.

Updated: 15:30 Tuesday, January 22, 2002