I AM certain that if the Coppergate plans are allowed to proceed many of the existing chain and department stores will be forced commercially to relocate to the newly-extended city 'centre', leaving York's existing centre a mixture of empty shops and poor quality 'six month type' training companies surrounded by some of the finest historic buildings in Europe.

I note these plans involve the provision of additional car parking to service this new development. What of York's reputation for leading the way in pedestrianisation and Park & Ride facilities, are the fundamental principles to be forgotten?

Local people will not need to visit the heart of the city, the Coney Street, Stonegate and Petergate areas, as they will be able to shop by their cars in Coppergate, leaving the true centre as a place for tourists to buy ice cream and look at the Minster.

This is not what we local people want! And the planning department should listen.

We want the area tidying up yes, but the provision of an open park with leisure facilities, so that people who visit and currently earn their living in our city can enjoy an open space by the provision of picnic areas and seating to compensate for those lost to commercial gain as in St Sampson's Square.

John Burroughs,

Linton Woods Lane,

Linton On Ouse, York.

...HOW far can York's retail space be expanded and can there be too much? Whether one approves of the design or of it's suitability to the location, is the proposed expansion of Coppergate an expansion too far?

York already has a large amount of retail space both within the city and on its outskirts. However, unlike such as the City Walls and the Minster, nothing about either the shops or goods on sale in the proposed development will be unique to York. York's prosperity will be maintained through its uniqueness and diversity, not by being just another shopping centre.

Should the going get tough in the retail sector, York may then find that the shops also get going, as did C&A recently.

If this major development gets the go ahead the council will no doubt have to start work on the proposed Park & Ride schemes envisaged in their Local Transport Plan to cope with all the additional happy shoppers and their bulging bags.

Richard Lamb,

Greystoke Road,

Rawcliffe, York.