CONTROVERSIAL plans to sell one of York’s main coach and car parks have been shelved, as the public backlash against the move gathers pace.

The Labour cabinet on City of York Council was set to agree next week to sell Union Terrace car park to York St John University, but has now postponed the decision.

Council leader James Alexander had said the deal would provide new jobs and at least £2 million for a “Reinvigorating York” scheme, to revitalise the city centre.

But furious local traders said losing the car park would ravage their businesses, and launched the Save Union Terrace Car Park campaign.

Pressure on the council to rethink the scheme has now intensified. The Dean of York, the Very Rev Keith Jones, described the plans as “risky” for York’s tourism economy and the Federation Of Small Businesses criticised the “lack of consultation”.

Labour said yesterday that a report commissioned earlier this year had emerged, meaning more work was needed on alternative coach-parking facilities.

The party claimed the Liberal Democrats, who previously controlled the council, started to look at the Union Terrace scheme but did not make sufficiently-detailed plans for coach-parking provision elsewhere.

But the Lib Dems have now formally asked for an extraordinary meeting of the council to agree the withdrawal of the proposed sale, while the Conservatives said Union Terrace could become “the Labour version of the Barbican fiasco.”

In a letter to Coun Alexander, the Dean of York wrote: “It seems to us that this is a very risky time to be making it more difficult for coaches and car drivers to come into York without a strategy to ensure we shall not cause a severe [economic] downturn.

“Once coach operators decide the difficulties of visiting a place are too difficult, they are likely to re-route their tours with serious consequences.”

Trevor Fenwick, owner of Gillygate’s Bubbles And Squeak toy shop, said: “I think the council had no choice but to delay this because there has been so much opposition.

“Everybody – local traders, buskers, schools, church bodies and some of York’s biggest businesses – has got together to try to stop this. If so many people believe something is seriously wrong, it surely is.”

Campaigner Anne Braithwaite, of The Braithwaite Gallery in Low Petergate, said: “We have an enormous amount of public support, and although we are disappointed the scheme has not been withdrawn completely, this delay hopefully gives us time to convince the council it should be. They need to realise it is wrong for York.”

The Federation of Small Businesses asked Gillygate traders for evidence about how Union Terrace’s closure would affect them. Its development manager for North Yorkshire, Emma Watts, said: “We are concerned about the lack of consultation for the proposed closure.”

What York’s politicians say

Coun Ian Gillies (Conservative group leader): “We believe in education and providing economic and employment opportunities.

“However, unlike Coun Alexander, we also believe in consulting with residents, traders, our tourism partners and other interested parties.

“We would also create a free and open market option to achieve the best outcome for all and not to restrict the potential sale to one buyer at one price.

“Why was this report (mentioned by Labour) and its contents not taken into account before a decision was made?

“The consultation and strategy suggested by many people, including the Dean of York, has been ignored.

“Coun Gunnell’s statement is a lame attempt to deflect the criticism of Coun Alexander and his cabinet colleagues’ naivety regarding Union Terrace.

“They need to listen, learn and act accordingly to prevent this becoming the Labour version of the Barbican fiasco.”

Coun Julie Gunnell (Labour’s cabinet member for corporate services): “I agree with the Very Rev Keith Jones that a strategy needs to be in place for alternative coach provision.

“A detailed report has come to light which was commissioned in March by the previous Liberal Democrat administration. Since then, Coun Alexander has asked me to delay bringing my report to the cabinet to ensure those alternatives take into account this new information.

“York St John is working with the council to look at short-term and long-term solutions, but we believe strongly in investing in education, providing employment opportunities and developing economic growth for the city.”

Coun Carol Runciman (Liberal Democrat group leader): “Like many of York’s residents and local businesses, we are strongly opposed to the sale.

“We firmly believe selling this asset would damage York’s economy and would be the death knell for many businesses and community organisations in this part of the city. The way in which Coun Alexander has dealt with this matter to date is a total abuse of the democratic process.

A serious issue like this should not be decided at a venue away from the heart of the city in a meeting room barely large enough for cabinet members and officers who need to be present, let alone others who might wish to be there or to speak (referring to next week’s cabinet meeting at the Priory Street Centre).

“If any decision about a sale is to be made, it should be done in public – out in the open, after a proper consultation and evaluation process, and not in this underhand way. That is why we have requested an extraordinary meeting of the full council.”