HISTORIC buildings in the centre of York could be left standing empty and their future threatened if new out-of-town shopping developments go ahead, a leading heritage watchdog has warned.

York Civic Trust fears businesses in the heart of the city will be forced to close or move in the face of competition from proposed John Lewis and Marks & Spencer stores at Monks Cross and the potential expansion of the Monks Cross Shopping Park.

The trust has formally objected to both schemes, saying the majority of the city centre’s 1,600 listed buildings – which it described as “York’s unique selling-point” – are occupied by retailers who may lose the “incentive” to stay there if the Monks Cross plans are approved by City of York Council.

Oakgate (Monks Cross) Ltd’s application for a £90 million retail development including the two huge stores, as well as a community stadium, is expected to be debated by the council next month, with the firm saying it would create 1,000 new jobs and 275 construction roles and boost York’s economy by £12 million a year.

Monks Cross Shopping Park Trust is looking to add mezzanine floors to existing outlets and create additional smaller units, with the aim of attracting three “anchor” stores and creating 300 new jobs. City-centre traders have said the out-of-town schemes would lead to many of them going out of business or being forced to move.

The Civic Trust said the proposals posed a “significant threat” to York’s heritage.

In a letter to council planners, the trust’s director Peter Brown said: “York has around 1,600 listed buildings, more than most cities of our size, and more than 1,000 of them have a retail use.

“The buildings are mostly operated by small, independent retailers, often located on ancient medieval streets. Some on the margins of the centre, like Micklegate and Gillygate, are particularly vulnerable. The historic environment is the glue which brings it all together in York.”

Mr Brown said businesses occupied listed city-centre buildings because of “high footfall”, but they were also expensive to maintain and difficult to adapt or expand. "Until now, these buildings have survived, and it is incumbent on all of us to ensure they continue to do so,” he said.

“The buildings and their collective presence are what makes York special."

He said the trust was “strongly in favour” of John Lewis coming to York and had never opposed the stadium, but the Monks Cross schemes went against planning policy. He also said prospects for developing the city-centre Castle Piccadilly site “must not be put at risk by further out-of-town expansion”.

Oakgate and the Monks Cross Shopping Park Trust were unable to comment on the trust’s objection yesterday.