WHAT price security? The owner of an antiques centre in York's historic Stonegate has hit out after being told that security shutters at the side of the premises must go.

A planning inspector said Cavendish Antiques' need for security had to be balanced by the effect of the equipment on the character of the listed building.

He said the shutters undermined the building's architectural and historic character - even though they were not visible to the public - and threw out an appeal against a City of York Council decision to refuse retrospective planning permission. "The shutters are bulky and utilitarian in their design, and distinctly unattractive to look at," said the planning inspector.

He said he accepted the need for security, but could not be certain that all possible alternatives to the shutters had been explored.

But proprietor Mark Smith said today the inspectorate's attitude had left him "totally mystified", claiming it had recognised the need for security at a specialist retailer selling luxury goods, jewellery and antiques, but ignored such arguments because of the visual harm to the building's appearance.

He said the shutters were in a private rear courtyard and garden area, and not easily visible to anyone outside the property.

"If they cannot be seen, how can they visually harm the building's appearance? Their conclusion is totally nonsensical.

"It's enough to make any retailer think twice about the viability of operating a business in York. If York is to become a modern city with a viable commercial core, then the straitjacket of planning restrictions needs to be more flexibly applied. If not, then York risks simply becoming a very large open air museum, the Pompeii of the UK."

Mr Smith said the shutters were justified by repeated historical acts of vandalism and theft. "No damage or break-ins have occurred since the shutters were installed."

He said he had only been seeking temporary permission to erect the shutters while the business was trading in its current form, selling valuable items. "The shutters are attached to the outside of the building and could, when redundant, easily be removed with minimal impact on the fabric of the building."

Mr Smith said he would now have to spend considerable amounts of money and time on alternative security measures, with no guarantee of approval by the planning authorities.

Updated: 10:00 Tuesday, April 04, 2006