Developers clash over Monks Cross shopping plan (From York Press)
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Developers clash over Monks Cross shopping plan
8:20am Monday 12th December 2011 in Community stadium news
DEVELOPERS have clashed over a new leaflet and website attacking the planned expansion of a York’s out of town shopping centre.
Twenty thousand leaflets produced by York in Peril carry the headlines: “Don’t let them kill York city centre,” and “Five reasons why you should object to Monks Cross.”
The leaflet refers to the scheme by Oakgate to build more than 320,000 square feet of new retail space at Monks Cross, and a separate application by USS to expand the existing Monks Cross centre by another 140,000 sq ft.
Centros, development manager behind rival proposals for the £150 million Castle Piccadilly re-development in York city centre, has revealed that it helped with the creation of the leaflet and also the website www.yorkinperil.com
A spokesman said it had been working with the Chamber of Trade and city centre investors to ensure the public was aware of the impact of the proposed expansion.
But Richard France, managing director of Oakgate, claimed the leaflet contained inaccuracies and provided no evidence to back up its claims.
“Our planning application for a new Community Stadium with enabling retail development will be judged on the evidence we have provided,” he said.
“Our evidence, which will be independently assessed, shows that York city centre trades strongly, has a low rate of empty shops and has significant demand for retail space. We can also demonstrate that our proposals will not prevent other developments such as Castle Piccadilly coming forward.”
Comments(21)
city_view
says...
9:24am Mon 12 Dec 11
I've been wondering who funded them, as they don't look like the usual campaign leaflet. They're on particularly high quality paper, well-designed, even have a perforated tear-off slip. Contents not so good - the alarmist suggestion that the community stadium development 'will be paid for by the demise of the city centre', etc.
If 20,000 have been printed as suggested for what appears to be a cynical exercise by another developer I'd call that a shocking waste of paper, personally.
I picked mine up at the Campaign for York meeting on 28 Nov - piles of them were available on the ledges at the side of Tempest Anderson Hall, as we left. Which perhaps raises further questions.
bolero
says...
10:58am Mon 12 Dec 11
nickeggleton
says...
11:23am Mon 12 Dec 11
but wether you agree or disagree people in the city have a right to discuss the case for and against based on the information available.
If Oakgate can have a website with their side of the story on it then a counter balance should be provided.
I'm comfortable with Centross funding this.
They are not hiding behind an 'enabling retail development' aka a bribe.
The Great Buda
says...
12:05pm Mon 12 Dec 11
city_view
says...
12:38pm Mon 12 Dec 11
nickeggleton
says...
12:53pm Mon 12 Dec 11
city_view wrote:No. That's a bit naughty - daft - sly.
Nick - of course everyone has a right to discuss it - and should be discussing it, as it's such a major development. The central issue re this particular story, surely, is that Oakgate's website and publicity states clearly that it's provided on behalf of Oakgate, so we know that they have a vested interest, whereas this leaflet appears to have nothing on it saying 'funded by Centros', does it.
nickeggleton
says...
1:01pm Mon 12 Dec 11
The Great Buda wrote:Where are the 'lies'?
If the information avaliable is a thinly-hidden pack of lies, then its right to call Centross out.
Their 5 reasons to object are fair comment
1. The numbers come from the independent GVA report. A 15 - 17% loss in revenue will close small businesses. Even Oakgate say 7% in their own (weak) impact assessment!
2. Planning policy is fact.
3. The 'community stadium' is a bribe that will put other businesses and jobs 'at risk'
4. Not environmentally friendly
5. Expensive to maintain historic buildings rely on occupants to maintain them.
KAT1965
says...
1:21pm Mon 12 Dec 11
The problem with York is that through history, geography, nimbyism and self interest, we have not had a decent city centre department store within the city walls since Leak & Thorpe shut the original store down. Debenhams is poor and I try not to think of the old Coop on George Hudson Street. Is it any wonder that developers are looking to easier to develop sites.
The Great Buda
says...
1:40pm Mon 12 Dec 11
Even AndyD
says...
2:07pm Mon 12 Dec 11
The Great Buda wrote:Action may well be taken re these leaflets. Big whoops by someone.
If the information avaliable is a thinly-hidden pack of lies, then its right to call Centross out.
Dobkin
says...
2:14pm Mon 12 Dec 11
Even AndyD
says...
2:19pm Mon 12 Dec 11
Dobkin
says...
2:22pm Mon 12 Dec 11
Even AndyD wrote:Streets will decline because the new John Lewis is to be built out of the cobblestones from the Shambles. Don't believe it? There are plenty of intellectual sub-normal people who will!
Just been on the website - this is more York Chamber of Trade generalisation stuff. 'Big impact on centre' - 'almost certain to have negative impact' - 'might see decline of our most attractive streets'. Its all hot air and gives no indication of why two more stores will damage the centre when three whole retail parks have failed to do so. I despair, I really do. Not only is this pure self-interest talking, its not even talking in a professional manner. Its like a website a not very bright school kid might come up with. No wonder nothing gets done in this city for residents.
speaks99
says...
2:32pm Mon 12 Dec 11
There, thats my great claim, doesn't make it true.
Even AndyD
says...
2:38pm Mon 12 Dec 11
Sarah York
says...
3:18pm Mon 12 Dec 11
God knows what their target audience is, presumably people who can't read or don't have a brain cell.
There's some fantastic stuff coming out all of which has been quashed daily on here...with ease.
Shame on the minority that buy into some of this stuff. Shame on them.
P.s KAT1965, I'm not going to jump down your throat as you genuinely may not know this but M&S are moving out of their current location WHETHER MONKS CROSS GOES AHEAD OR NOT WHEN THEIR LEASE IS UP. It's as simple as that. I think the Press should write an article just on this fact as it keeps getting picked up for some reason.
bolero
says...
4:27pm Mon 12 Dec 11
KAT1965
says...
4:58pm Mon 12 Dec 11
Sarah York wrote:Fair point Sarah you obviously know more than me about it.
To be honest, you couldn't wish for a better opposition to ANY proposal than what these few people have mustered up so far.
God knows what their target audience is, presumably people who can't read or don't have a brain cell.
There's some fantastic stuff coming out all of which has been quashed daily on here...with ease.
Shame on the minority that buy into some of this stuff. Shame on them.
P.s KAT1965, I'm not going to jump down your throat as you genuinely may not know this but M&S are moving out of their current location WHETHER MONKS CROSS GOES AHEAD OR NOT WHEN THEIR LEASE IS UP. It's as simple as that. I think the Press should write an article just on this fact as it keeps getting picked up for some reason.
Malcolm
says...
12:16am Tue 13 Dec 11
Magicman!
says...
2:05am Tue 13 Dec 11
As a thought, if M&S closes the coppergate/piccadill
y branch and something were to persuade Topshop to move location, the two shops could potentially be knocked through into one for a decent sized Primark. Whether you like it or not, Primark is now considered to be an "Anchor Retailler" - and all the good shopping cities have one. Even Harrogate has now got a larger Primark, and them Harrogate folk seem much more the type to shop at Waitrose than Asda if you get my drift! (much more so than York anyway). When Doncaster Frenchgate was built, Primark moved into it rather than having a shop outside the centre on a neighbouring street; Newcastle has two primarks (northumberland street and metrocentre), as does manchester. York - none. After all, where is there a shop big enough for a decent shopping space? Monks Cross only offers at best mezzanine levels, so even if it got the BHS store and put in a mezzanine it'd be a small shop; and in the city centre it needs a store the size of parliament street M&S, and there isn't another single shop that big. Debenhams is terrible in the city centre, and instead of getting new stores we often just get ones opening duplicates of stores out at either Monks Cross, Clifton Moor or Fulford
The Great Buda says...
8:57am Mon 12 Dec 11
They're not intrested one jot in protecting the City Centre; its about lining their own pockets. We all remember how this same group where so against Coppergate II.