Appraisal lays out future of city’s past

The York Central Historic Core Conservation Area Appraisal has taken six months to complete and is the first detailed examination of York’s historic centre since 1968 when Lord Esher published the influential York, a Study in Conservation.

Now York councillors will be asked to approve the adoption of the 570-page report at a planning committee meeting on Thursday in a bid to preserve the city’s unique heritage.

Its completion follows a major consultation, which saw one the biggest ever public responses in the council’s planning history.

The heritage renaissance officer at York Council, Bob Sydes, said: “There has been a huge amount of public support. We had over 600 individual comments on the document.

“We had some really good and useful comments on how the report might better emphasise some aspects of the city.

“It’s a really big thing for York. For far too long we have been saying things are important we haven’t had a strategy to demonstrate why.

“It’s a big deal in planning and development terms and in the general interests of the city.”

The report calls for an overhaul of traffic management in the city. Its far-reaching conclusions include recommending a complete change to the approach to the station from the city, a possible extension of the pedestrianised zone and says a long-term vision is needed to reduce traffic on the inner ring road and in York’s city centre - currently one of the most under pressure of any walled town or city in Europe.

It also proposes changes to the existing conservation area boundary and new-look public spaces.

Once the report is adopted, residents will be able to view the document on the city council’s website.