Cliffords Tower - Castle Area Campaign news 2001

25th December 2001 - See the latest photos of what York has to lose.
Merry Xmas! (We never sleep!) Now have a look at the photos of the views of York which could be lost if the tawdry Coppergate development was allowed to go ahead. Click here to see the photos.

5th December 2001 - Big hitter sides with the Castle Area Campaign.
Margaret Thatcher's former press secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham, has written to the Planning Inspectorate to express his dismay over the plan to build a shopping mall next to Clifford's Tower, describing it as "civic vandalism". Sir Bernard recently wrote a book enthusing about British castles. See the Evening Press report.

December 2001 - Chamber of Commerce switches to side against Coppergate.
York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has changed stance and are now opposed to the building of Coppergate II. The Chamber of Commerce now appears to favour the "Castle Quarter" proposal.

14th November 2001 - Plenty of opposition at Pre-Inquiry Meeting.
Mr A.J. Bingham, the Government's Planning Inspector, laid out the rules for the Public Inquiry. More than thirty individuals and groups came to the meeting to oppose the Council and their friends Land Securities, hiding behind the pseudonym of Ravenseft Properties.
People who oppose the building of the shopping mall should come to the Public Inquiry to be held in York's Guildhall w/c 15th January 2002.

1st November 2001 - Council's Chief Planner resigns after two weeks.
Poor guy! Rod Lugg, Assistant Director of Planning and Design, quit the City of York Council after only two weeks in the job and scooted back to Durham. The clever chap could obviously see what he was up against and that the Council's defence of Coppergate II is indefensible.
See details of previous resignations.

21st October 2001 - Alternative visions for the riverside area.
The public were able to view and vote for alternative visions for the area such as those drawn up by York Tomorrow, Tom Adams, and the Castle Quarter scheme. A spokesperson for the Castle Area Campaign Group said: "We are attempting to do what the council has failed to do so far - inform the people of alternative options to a large shopping mall next to Clifford's Tower and ask people what they really want. The response, even in the rain, has been fantastic."

October 2001 - Chamber of Trade backs Castle Quarter.
Strong opponents of the Land Securities' shopping mall scheme, the York Chamber of Trade has given its support to the alternative Castle Quarter proposal. After consultation with its members, the York Chamber is "pleased to commend the Castle Quarter".

22nd September 2001 - Protest groups meet for demonstration at Clifford's Tower.
The Castle Area Campaign Group and York Tomorrow organised a demonstration against the Coppergate Riverside development today. More details here.

15th September 2001 - City of York Council count the cost of mismanagement.
The City of York Council claimed on Yorkshire TV that the Public Inquiry into the Coppergate II fiasco will cost them (and therefore the taxpayers of York!) £111,000. What a disgrace! Perhaps they should have considered the issue more carefully before handing over such an important site to the developers. Ah well, perhaps they can get their millionaire friends to bail them out...
Opposition groups, of course, will also have to fork out for expensive legal representation. Therefore we do need your support. Click here.

12th September 2001 - Public Inquiry - new date.
A new date for the Public Inquiry is set as 15th January 2002. The inquiry will last six days and will be led by inspector Tony Bingham.

1st September 2001 - Demonstration announced.
Anyone objecting to the proposed shopping centre is invited to meet at Clifford's Tower at 10:30am on Saturday 22nd September. All parties welcome. The people of York are not going to stand for this.

30th August 2001 - Public Inquiry is postponed.
The Planning Inspectorate have postponed the Public Inquiry due to a clash with a Jewish holy day.

28th August 2001 - Council tries to price-out opposition.
The City of York Council has written to the Planning Inspectorate to ask for the Public Inquiry to take place over three weeks rather than one. This would mean that Council Tax payers will have to fund an expensive barrister for an additional two weeks. It is a nasty tactic designed to put financial pressure on opposition groups as they will have to spend more money too on their legal costs. Maybe The Council feel they can no longer win a fair argument and it certainly looks like they are running scared. Unfortunately the citizens of York will have to pay for their mismanagement.

2nd August 2001 - See map and model of offensive Shoppergate proposal.
The Castle Area Campaign group has obtained a photo of the model. Click here to see...

10th July 2001 - Public Inquiry date is set - 25th September 2001
Official confirmation of the start-date for the Inquiry. Please note that letters of complaint and opposition to the Land Securities' scheme can still be sent up to four weeks prior to this date. Click here for details...

6th July 2001 - Rival scheme unveiled - "The Castle Quarter"
Another possible design for the Castle Area was unveiled today with much to commend it. The Castle Area Campaign welcomes this scheme as well as the "public open space" proposals of York Tomorrow. Both of these show how wholly inappropriate Land Securities' scheme is for this historic area of York. Details of the "Castle Quarter" scheme from the Evening Press website.

30th June 2001 - Public Inquiry will look at proposal for "public open space".
The Planning Inspectorate has announced that it will consider the Land Securities' scheme for a nasty shopping mall alongside York Tomorrow's appeal against the Council's decision to reject their idea of the site becoming a park. This is excellent news as the City of York Council wanted to separate the two schemes to save their embarrassment. Now their favouritism for the appalling shopping mall is exposed.

15th May 2001 - Jewish groups lambaste Coppergate development plans.
Strong condemnation from Jewish groups was voiced this week against building on the Clifford's Tower site where a massacre of the city's Jews took place in 1190.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews made this statement.
The Union of Jewish Students also hit out with these comments.
Both groups have determined to fight the proposal to build a shopping mall here at the Public Inquiry.

10th May 2001 - Council Officers quit before Coppergate Inquiry begins.
Two Council Officers heavily involved in pushing the Coppergate II centre down our throats have resigned.
Clare Eynon (Principle Officer for Development) and Ian Thomson (Head of Development) have both quit their jobs before the Inquiry starts. Running scared eh? More to follow? Let's hope so!

1st May 2001 - Write NOW to the case officer in charge of the Public Inquiry.
Don't muck about - act now! Click here for directions...

4th April 2001 - Good news - a public inquiry is called!
John Prescott the deputy prime minister announced that there is to be a public inquiry into Coppergate II.
No date has yet been set, but full details will appear here as soon as they are known.

This is a significant victory for everyone who has campaigned against Coppergate II. The Castle Area Campaign wants to thank and congratulate everyone who has contributed to this fight to defend the core of our city.

Now the task is to ensure the inquiry is genuine and that it does involve the public!
Our aim remains to STOP COPPERGATE II and make it clear that our city is not for sale!

March 10th 2001 - Demonstration against Coppergate II
Over 250 people took part in the protest march against Coppergate II, with people joining in as we made our way across the centre of York.

A band, people in medieval costume, banners, placards, and plenty of noisy chanting helped produce a carnival
atmosphere, without hiding people’s anger at Land Securities plc and the City of York Council. Speakers addressed the crowd and messages of support from the Archbishop of York and the Union of Jewish Students were read out. Details and photos here.

More on the demonstration at the Yorkshire Evening Press site, and this report, "Castle Army Marches Out".

February 10th 2001 - The Missing Report from the City of York Council
York Council hands over the Conservation Architect's report which very critical of the plans for Coppergate Riverside. The report had been suppressed so that the planning Committee could not see its contents.
Click to see the missing Conservation Architect's Report here.

January 31st 2001 - The Clifford's Tower Petition
The first pages of a petition has been handed in to The Department of the Environment calling for a public inquiry to be set up. So far, around 4,600 people have signed.

January 30th 2001 - Public Meeting
Around 120 people packed into our first public meeting. Overwhelming support was given to the call to oppose the development of a shopping centre next to Clifford's Tower. The Council was criticised for allowing the Planning Permission to be passed. Land Securities plc were criticised for the greed of the plan. A smaller development constrained to the other side of the river Foss would not have brought the same objection. It was decided to call a demonstration if John Prescott decides against a public inquiry.

January 11th 2001 - Tories muster shops protest
York Tories begin a city-wide leafleting campaign encouraging people to write to John Prescott calling for an inquiry. Yorkshire Evening Press article here.