YORK is showing the way in how to go about large-scale cultural projects, the man who led Lib Dems peers for nine years’ has said.

Lord Tom McNally of Blackpool, was also keen to stress the importance of culture in helping those with mental health problems.

He was speaking as a group of Lib Dem peers visited the Castle Museum.

York Museums Trust chief executive Reyahn King gave them a guided tour of the museum and explained how the Castle Gateway plans, which are expected to be submitted for planning application this summer, include a foot and cycle bridge across the River Foss joining Piccadilly to a green public space around Clifford Tower and possible new riverside entrance to the museum.

Lord McNally said: “I am impressed by the vision and imagination of the museum.

“York is making sure the community knows what is happening and why it is happening and what is happening as much as possible so that it is a shared project.

“It is not something that is just happening.”

Ms King said the York approach was to ask the public what they wanted and including that in the brief given to architects, not asking the architects to come up with a scheme and then asking the public what they thought about it.

She had been surprised when giving a talk in London, a similar approach was not being used elsewhere.

Lord McNally said research showed that culture significantly helped people suffering from mental health problems.

“People who go time and time again to doctors for Valium, we are now finding that if they could be involved in cultural activities using their own skills and talents, the demand for Valium drops as well as trips to doctors,” he said.