A £3 MILLION big wheel could be in York by Easter, it was revealed today.

The National Railway Museum (NRM) has submitted a planning application to bring a London Eye-style observation wheel to the city.

Reaching 60 metres into the sky, the wheel would offer panoramic views of York's historic city centre from the NRM's Leeman Road site, including the Minster and the River Ouse. Operator World Tourist Attractions (WTA) has been bidding to bring a giant wheel to York since January, but its first-choice site, Tower Gardens, near Skeldergate Bridge, was slammed by local residents and conservationists.

If the wheel was given the go-ahead on the NRM site, it would create 30 jobs directly - and attract up to one million tourists to the city from across the world, said WTA.

Andrew Scott, head of the NRM, said: "We're very proud of what York has to offer as one of Europe's most beautiful cities. The wheel would not only provide a fantastic opportunity to see the city as it has never been seen before, but would also bring many more visitors to York to enjoy all it has to offer.

"We believe the NRM can offer an ideal site for such a new attraction because it could make full use of the existing museum facilities and infrastructure, including ticketing, toilets, car parking and catering, with minimal disruption."

The wheel would be made up of 42 enclosed, climate-controlled capsules accommodating up to eight people at a time, with a luxury VIP gondola with leather interior "for special occasions".

Gillian Cruddas, York Tourism Bureau chief executive, said: "York's potential new attraction would provide a great opportunity to promote and encourage repeat visitors to the city and would also be an incentive for people to stay longer. Evidence from destinations that already have a wheel suggests that they are a very popular way of seeing the cityscape."

Letters have been sent by the City of York Council to the neighbouring houses and flats as part of the consultation process.

An NRM spokeswoman said: "The wheel's first proposed site was a city-centre location, on the doorstep of a lot of housing and businesses that would have been affected by it.

"The location that we are now suggesting is outside the centre, and not near any major residential or commercial areas."

The NRM will find out whether or not it has been successful with its planning application by December.

In July, the Evening Press reported that WTA had run out of time to bring the wheel to York in 2005. The company confirmed it would instead try to come next Easter to the NRM.

:: Big Wheel Timeline

January 26: Evening Press reveals wheel could come to York

February 10: Residents in Tower Garden claim wheel would "tower over" their homes

February 18: York Civic Trust opposes wheel plan

February 24: Planning officers say wheel should be turned down

March 3: Wheel plan withdrawn

May 19: Evening Press reveals the wheel could go to National Railway Museum this summer

July 6: Plans are finally abandoned for this year - but organisers vow to return to the NRM for Easter

Today: Plans submitted to City of York Council for the NRM site.

Updated: 13:23 Friday, October 28, 2005