NEW plans have been put forward to develop one of York's best-known pubs into flats, but this time without demolishing the main building.

Plans to tear down the Gimcrack Hotel in Fulford and develop new homes were withdrawn in April after residents and City of York Council officers objected to them.

Now another housebuilder, R and S Construction, of Bielby, near Pocklington, wants to develop the site into 24 flats.

It is proposing to convert the existing main building into four flats and only to demolish the former coach house, a detached single-storey building.

In addition the existing flat-roofed two-storey side extension would be demolished and replaced with a new two-storey extension to form two more flats.

The rest of the flats would be in two new blocks, a two-storey block of four flats and a three-storey block of 14 flats.

Roger Armistead, development control officer with City of York Council, said this would mean there would be three main blocks of building.

The agent for the developers was unavailable for comment today.

Earlier this year, Cleckheaton-based Jones Homes withdrew plans for 19 new homes after 900 signatures were collected opposing the plan and the council's officers said there was no justification for demolition of the Gimcrack building.

Although the building is not listed, the pub is in the Fulford Road conservation area, which means special consideration needs to be given before permission is granted to change its appearance.

Updated: 11:38 Thursday, September 05, 2002