YORK could look to Canterbury for inspiration in a proposed £60 million redevelopment of the city centre.

The architects behind the "Coppergate Riverside" scheme to transform the Castle-Piccadilly area of the city is also responsible for the £100 million Whitefriars Shopping Centre in Canterbury, which is currently under construction.

Chapman Taylor have an established record of working in York's historic setting, as they were the architects for the existing Coppergate Centre, which was completed in 1984.

That design, with its mix of shops and city centre homes, earned them the Royal Town Planning Institute's Silver Jubilee Cup in 1985 and a commendation from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1987.

Its work has also won accolades and awards from the British and International Councils for Shopping Centres, the Civic Trust and Europa Nostra.

During the last 20 years more than 30 major centres have been completed in England to the practice's designs - including The Ridings, Wakefield; Orchard Square in Sheffield; Royal Priors, Leamington Spa; and The Market Place, Bolton.

For cities like York and Canterbury, the firm is able to bring its pan-European expertise into play, having worked on sensitive mixed use developments in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and Hungary.

Director Adrian Griffiths has been working on the plans for Coppergate Riverside since Chapman Taylor's appointment by developers Land Securities last spring. The proposals focus heavily on opening up the area around the River Foss.

"Increasingly we are seeing developments in other European cities that draw their inspiration from water, forexample, Barcelona, Lisbon, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and the latest schemes being undertaken by Chapman Taylor in Livorno in Italy, Malaga in Spain and Cherbourg in France," said Mr Griffiths.

He added: "As architects, sustainability is at the forefront of our thinking and we have designed this scheme to stand the test of time.

"We have created buildings that are well detailed and designed to become a natural extension to the grain and fabric of York. This, added to the landscaping and environmental enhancements, which are essential elements of the scheme, will make Coppergate Riverside a new focal point in this fine city for generations to come."