DEVELOPERS behind York's Barbican Centre redevelopment scheme claimed today that it would bring the city almost £17 million a year in extra revenue - and create 200 jobs.

They said £37.7 million would be invested on the construction project, some of it spent on local suppliers and labour.

Barbican Venture (York) Ltd was spelling out some of the benefits of their scheme after centre users and local residents stepped up their campaign against the proposals for a hotel, lounge bar, refurbished auditorium, conference facilities and apartments.

A Barbican Venture spokesman said about 200 full and part-time jobs would be created in the hotel, restaurant, parking and conferencing business. A pessimistic projection of additional revenues showed that revenue from a 125-bed, four-star hotel would amount to £6 million a year, with additional spending outside the hotel of £3 million.

Conference delegates would spend £4.2 million, new residents in the 240 proposed apartments would spend at least £2 million, and leisure visitors to the upgraded auditorium another £1.5 million.

He said this came to an estimated £16.7million additional annual revenue for the city and its businesses.

Andrew Cossins, head of the developers, said the extra tourism and leisure spend and jobs clearly underlined the "positive nature" of the development.

He said: "Rather than costing taxpayers money, as the existing Barbican does, we are looking to use the site to bring jobs and prosperity to the city and deliver brand new public leisure facilities to replace those that desperately need renovation.

"Resisting these proposals means losing these jobs and the revenue that comes with them, as well as missing the chance to improve the auditorium and bring new life to this part of the city."

But John Issitt, chairman of the campaign group Save Our Barbican, today claimed the developers were trying to justify their case with "fanciful income speculations".

He said: "Importantly for the people of York, who stand to lose an important and potentially viable civic amenity, this large-scale proposal is just too costly to our community and our city.

"A more sensible way forward which preserves the Barbican for the people of York, is to generate some capital, possibly through the sale of small pockets of redundant council-owned land and putting a rational management plan into operation."

Updated: 08:29 Wednesday, March 17, 2004