1) Why has the scheme for the brief changed?
In November 2023 the Executive approved the revised brief for the scheme to better align the aims of the scheme with the council’s new priorities, including a greater focus on accessibility and sustainabilit
The brief for the revised scheme includes:
- flexible green space with children’s play provision
- retention of blue badge parking numbers
- reducing capital and management costs
2) Why do we need to reduce costs?
A decision was taken previously to design at risk a high quality scheme that incorporated a large event space and an interactive water feature. This decision was taken to ensure that we were in the best possible position to bid for external funding. Unfortunately, the council’s two levelling up funding bids for external funding to deliver the scheme were unsuccessful, as York was in the lowest priority areas list. Therefore, there was a significant funding gap for the 2022 design.
In addition to this, nationally council budgets are under pressure. However, the council still strongly supports the scheme and proposes to bring a revised design forward in phases linked to the funding that is available and aligned to the new council Plan.
The current engagement on concept designs for Castle car park and the board walk will form the first phase with £3.5m of council funding currently earmarked. Expenditure will need to be approved through a business case to the council’s Executive. This means that the high-cost items such as the fountain (in term of both delivery and maintenance) and the dedicated paved events space in the 2022 scheme need to be removed.
We are testing the costs of the concept designs with our cost consultants to ensure it falls within budget. This may lead to prioritisation of elements, refining the phasing or seeking ways to reduce costs within the des
Following feedback from this engagement, we will submit amendments to the existing pending planning application. This will ensure that a comprehensive scheme is developed for the area (see March blog for further details), and means that the rest of the site can be implemented when funding becomes available, subject to planning approval.
3) Why is Castle Car Park the preferred option for Blue Badge parking? Why does it need to be the number of spaces it is?
Members at the Executive in November asked that 30 blue badge spaces be retained within the scheme to align with the council’s priority to create an accessible city for all.
The Equalities Impact Assessment illustrates the negative impact the closure of the car park has on disabled people who use the spaces. Mitigation options were explored but 30 blue badge spaces could not be achieved in the vicinity and replacement in other council car parks which serve this part of the city were not desirable by users. Previous city centre access consultation with access groups showed a desire for dedicated blue badge parking close to city centre, with level surface access to connect to the city centre.
The revised concept designs were presented to York Access Forum in July 2024. Attendees appreciated the new focus on ‘design for all’ across the scheme, the inclusive play elements, the raised table crossing at Castlegate, and the proximity of the blue badge parking to the city centre.
4) Could the Shop Mobility service be included?
Relocating the Shop mobility provision from the top of the Coppergate car park to within the scheme has been considered. However, it is not proposed that this is incorporated into the scheme due to the additional impact it would have on the availability of space to deliver the key aims of the scheme such as the creation of greenspace and provision of play space. Supporting Shop Mobility remains a priority for the council and will be picked up through the current city centre access and transport planning work.
5) What is the wider parking strategy?
In November 2023 the council’s Executive confirmed the re-purposing of the Castle car park to support the delivery of a revised Castle Gateway Masterplan, with retained Blue Badge parking; subject to an updated business case being brought back to Executive for full consideration, and where closure will only occur when a revised scheme has been approved for delivery.
At the same meeting, Executive asked officers to develop proposals which balance: parking capacity; pedestrian and cycle connectivity; and coach drop off facilities within a surface level layout on St George’s Field.
Access to the city centre will continue to be supported through an emphasis on improved public transport and active travel in line with the new transport strategy and Movement and Place Plan Framework
A report on the business case, including the parking strategy for the Castle Gateway area will be presented to the Executive in spring 2025 prior to any decision being taken to close Castle Car Park.
6) How do the play elements here relate to plans for play and families across the city centre?
The Our City Centre Vision identified family friendly spaces and creating free amenity and play space in the city centre as a priority. Since the re-launch of the vision the brief has been reviewed for the Castle and Eye of York scheme to incorporate these key elements of the vision. This scheme is a key part of the delivery and realisation of the vision.
The concept design proposes open lawn for informal play and a series of play features and meandering paths along the edge of space that all combine into a larger play trail. This might include elements such as stepping stones, boulders, balance logs, sculptures, and could incorporate imaginative play that reflects the history of the site through features like a moat and drawbridge.
Consideration has been given to the new formal play equipment proposed within the Coppergate Centre in St Mary’s Square to avoid duplication within the locality.
Skaters and skateboarding were mentioned in the open brief, however given the dedicated concrete plaza skatepark in Rowntree Park, then this does not form part of the current proposal but instead focuses on a site that is ‘designed for all’ with inclusive play features, such as sensory play, quiet spaces for storytelling or accessible opportunities for people in wheelchairs.
These elements draw on the open brief and apply the priorities of the Our City Centre vision regarding family friendly spaces and creating free amenity and play space for residents and visitors.
7) What’s happening to expansion plans for York Castle Museum?
The Museum was unsuccessful in getting funding for their redevelopment plans, and therefore it is not proposed to safeguard land for future expansion within the revised scheme.
8) Would some scale of events still be possible despite no dedicated events space?
The council will be exploring opportunities for spaces across the city centre through the Our City Centre vision and delivery strategy. This will look at how each space may support different uses and how they might work together to form a network of spaces across the city. For example, a large new public square on the York Central site linking the western entrance of the railway station to the front of the National Railway Museum was granted planning approval in February 2024.
Whilst the soft landscaping in the revised concept designs for the Castle car park area will not sustain large scale events (seasonality/ maintenance), there is still an opportunity for smaller scale and trail type events that link this space in with the wider city centre programme of activities. The concept design also includes electric points in the Eye of York and lawn area that could support small scale pop-up and community uses.
9) What about toilet provision in the area?
The public toilets at the rear of the Coppergate centre will remain in place. We are aware that the accessible toilet does not meet the current standard and the council’s toilet operator Healthmatic have been commissioned to remove an internal wall to improve this. There is not currently any funding available to make this a Changing Places facility.
10) Links to Castle Gateway masterplan
The next steps for St George’s Field car park, and a new Foss bridge and riverside park behind the Castle Museum were also approved at the Executive meeting in November 2023 as part of the wider masterplan.
10a) St George’s Field car park
- Background:A multi-storey car park on St George’s Field gained planning approval in 2021.
- Executive agreed:That the council will not build a multi storey car park as it does not represent value for money and agreed to develop proposals which balance: improved surface level parking capacity; pedestrian and cycle connectivity; and coach drop off facilities within a surface level layout.
- Update:Work is underway to review the layout
10b) Foss bridge and riverside park
- Background:The Castle Mills planning approval (Dec 2020) included new apartments, a new riverside park, pedestrian and cycle links and a new Foss bridge.
- Executive agreed:To pause work on the approved planning application for Castle Mills and asked Officers to:
- investigate appropriate meanwhile use options whilst exploring longer term opportunities for the future delivery of 100% affordable housing on this council owned site.
- progress work to deliver the pedestrian/cycle links to the rear of the Castle Museum including a new bridge connecting over the River Foss to Piccadilly separately from any development on Castle Mills (subject to confirmation of external West Yorkshire Combined Authority funding and approvals). This will deliver sustainable travel links and city centre connectivity in accordance with the Local Transport Strategy and the wider aims of the Castle Gateway masterplan.
- Update:The original planning permission has now expired. Work is underway to re-submit the bridge and riverside park elements (but not the apartments) to align with Castle Car Park resubmission in early 2025. The Housing Delivery Team are exploring options to delivery the apartments as 100% affordable housing, if viable this will be progressed as a separate planning application.
Its complicated, but this is an excellent account of where we have now got to with the different strands of the project. I do hope that the council has now got more accurate occupancy recording for the council car parks to inform the decision in Spring 2025 on capacity elsewhere for displacement from Castle Car Park.
I support the dropping of the proposal to build a multi story car park and I also support the proposal to retain provision of car parking for blue badge holders. I was unable to watch the video of the revised design proposals – other irrelevant images came up on my screen. Could I be sent a secure link to the presentation? barryrjoyce@me.com
Hi Barry, thanks so much for your comment and for letting us know about the video link. When I just checked the link it did seem to work – does this link work for you? I’ve also embedded the video in a blog post in case that’s easier.
It will be great to hear what you think once you’ve watched the video as well.
Best wishes, Helen
I’m glad the multi storey car park is no longer being suggested, and glad some Blue Badge parking will be available.
The Castle Mills Foss bridge area is a nightmare on a bike (and noisy and fume polluted for pedestrians as well), so I feel the cycle/walking route by the river should be proposed and prioritised as an essential and promptly implemented component.
There seems to be no mention of landscaping features and the native tree species planting that was previously discussed. We need to do all we can to improve our city environment, in terms of encouraging biodiversity, using trees and planting to offset CO2 and to cool the city, and for the aesthetic and health benefits which would directly accrue to more ‘green’ in the plan.