YORK'S fifth park and ride scheme is set to go ahead on land just to the south of Monks Cross.

A report to councillors released today reveals that there was a massive vote in favour of the site near Huntington Stadium, following a major public consultation exercise.

Fewer than a fifth of the 3,800 respondents preferred the two other possible locations - to the north of the Monks Cross shopping park and near the Hopgrove roundabout.

Now councillors are being urged to adopt the site near the stadium as the authority's favoured location.

Bill Woolley, assistant director (development and transport), also recommends next Thursday's planning and transport committee meeting should authorise a detailed feasibility assessment of the site. And he says they should approve starting detailed negotiations with the developers behind a proposed science park south of Monks Cross.

His report says that a planning application for the science park, which was submitted during the public consultation process, includes provision for a park & ride site. During the consultation, 76,000 leaflets were distributed, of which around 3,800 were returned.

Of these responses, 87 per cent agreed with the council's preferred location to the south of the Huntington Stadium.

Six per cent preferred an area to the north of Monks Cross, and four per cent wanted an area around Hopgrove, while three per cent did not agree with any site.

The submission of the science park application during the consultation process was criticised in September by the Monks Cross Partnership, which has developed much of the Monks Cross area.

Spokesman John Reeves said the application seemed premature unless a decision had already been made to put the Park & Ride on the site. But the council denied any decision had been made at that stage.

Richard Wood, spokesman for Oakgate, which is behind the science park scheme, today warmly welcomed the public's overwhelming response, saying it brought the exciting dream of a business park at Monks Cross one step closer to reality.

He said the continuing growth of York as a science city meant it was fast becoming the "Cambridge of the North" and this trend was crucial for the city's economic health.

"The uncertainty which currently surrounds both the U.S. and the UK economy does not breed confidence, and there are fears that a slowdown could turn inexorably into a recession. Investment at Monks Cross would help to insulate York from the harsher consequences of any economic downturn.

"The development of a hi-tech business park on a 26-acre site on the southern side of Monks Cross would be a massive coup for York. We estimate that our project would create up to 5,000 jobs, provide much-needed quality office space and attract some prestigious firms."

Updated: 15:09 Friday, November 02, 2001