Castle Area Campaign news 2007

11th Nov 2007 - LS share price on the slide
The Observer reports that investors have been dumping shares in commercial property companies, and that Land Securities has seen its stock price plunge by 30 per cent since January.

13th Oct 2007 - Land Securities retreats from York Castle
The Council's preferred developer for the Coppergate Riverside development has pulled out. Land Securities has announced that it is withdrawing from the scheme to build a shopping mall next to Clifford's Tower.

After four years of pondering a revised scheme, the company is selling not just its interests along Piccadilly, but also the original Coppergate Centre. Its office in York is no longer needed. The mighty Land Sec is run out of town.

22nd Aug 2007 - International focus on York
International concern at the plans for Clifford's Tower continues with the publication of a five-page article in the American-Israeli Mishpacha magazine.

It focuses on the history of Jews in York, from the horrific slaughter at Clifford's Tower in 1190, to the excavation and removal of remains from Jewbury in the 1980s, to the battle against Coppergate II.

Stuart Wilson, of the Castle Area Campaign, says, "International interest in the history of York is not going to go away and the Council and developers need to realise that the eyes of the world are upon them. This area has international importance and should be considered as a World Heritage Site."

31st Jul 2007 - Burgess calls for new thinking on Coppergate
Martin Burgess, of Northminster Properties, is proposing a new professional and business quarter on the Castle-Piccadilly site to house new city centre offices for professionals such as law and accountancy firms. See 'Press' article.

He stressed that whatever was built on the site, there would need to be a significant open space in the vicinity of Clifford's Tower, perhaps with a stylish piazza being created to front on to the site.

But council leader Steve Galloway said the Council would wish to see a comprehensive development proposal for the Piccadilly area - and Land Securities were a "dominant property owner" there. "It is for them to make a statement when they consider it appropriate," he said. "My advice to Mr Burgess is that his first step should be to speak with Land Securities.

Green Party Councillor Dave Taylor said, "I want the Council to take other proposals more seriously, such as this one announced by Martin Burgess. It's not acceptable that he was merely told by Steve Galloway to talk to the Council's favoured developer, Land Securities. Who is responsible for town planning in this city? Is it the Council or is it Land Securities?"

16th May 2007 - Council CEO resigns "not proud of his role on Coppergate"
David Atkinson, CEO of York Council, has announced he will go in three months. A Press interview was quite revealing: The decision to back a controversial scheme for a new shopping complex next to Clifford's Tower, and then to spend £220,000 supporting that decision at a public inquiry only to get a very public slap in the face from a Government planning inspector, was "not the council's finest hour," Atkinson admitted.

3rd May 2007 - York Council hung. Some successes for our campaign
Despite complaints to the police from one political party that our literature was partisan. (Of course it was - no brainer!) The people of York did support our programme, breaking the two-party domination of York and the Lib Dems' stranglehold on the Council. Some more of the guilty planning committee are gone! Labour maverick Brian Watson thankfully retained his seat. Eight Conservatives were newly elected and a Castle Area Campaigner was elected for the Green Party.

April/May 2007 - Campaigning in York's local government elections
The Castle Area Campaign supports any parties or candidates who oppose the building of a shopping mall next to Clifford's Tower. 12,000 leaflets are being distributed in York to raise awareness of the campaign and support the Conservatives, the Greens, the old Liberal Party (not Lib Dems) and the Monster Raving Loony! Two Labour candidates, Geoff Beacon and Brian Watson are also good candidates and should be supported. Only one Lib Dem candidate phoned us and he asked not to be named!

29th Mar 2007 - Eric Pearson of York Alliance dies
Former York Planning Officer, Eric Pearson has died aged 76. After his retirement, Pearson formed the York Alliance - a forerunner of the Castle Area Campaign - to fight Land Securities' initial plans for a £60 million extension to the Coppergate Centre.
Obituary in 'The Press'.

22nd Mar 2007 - Invasive species ruining retail eco-system
Andrew Simms' article in The Guardian likens chainstores to nature's hungry invasive species, suffocating diversity and driving out the indigenous breeds. "Big superstores and chain retailers were allowed to spread by planners, town councils and governments in awe of big business. But then it started to go wrong. The chains became the economic equivalent of invasive species: hungry, indiscriminate, often antisocial and destructive. When no one was paying much attention, the superstores and cloned shops grew to dominate and suffocate the economic ecosystem." He's not wrong!

10th Feb 2007 - Shoppergate dead or just resting?
More good news - by 'eck, it's all happening today!
York's newspaper, "The Press" raises the possibility that the Coppergate Riverside blueprint is in doubt as Land Securities has not come up with a new plan since the Council's draft of March 2006. Diana Golding's leaving may be another indication that the plans are on the rocks.
Dave Taylor, spokesman for the Castle Area Campaign, said: "It would be good to think Shoppergate is finally defeated. York has a fairly unique retail offering and we should celebrate that by focusing on the superb array of little local shops instead of chasing chainstores."

10th Feb 2007 - Manager of Coppergate Centre to leave York
Great news! Land Securities' front-person in York, Diana Golding, is having to leave the city to go and bugger-up Buxton instead. Infamously, Golding danced for joy when York Council passed the Land Securities plans for a shabby shopping mall next to Clifford's Tower. We say "good riddence to Golding, but watch out Buxton!"

10th Feb 2007 - Debenhams to close York city centre store?
Debenhams, which was the only big retailer prepared to show an interest in Coppergate II has now said it will close its York department store on Davygate. York City Council claims the city is short of large department stores, so will it permit Debehams upper storeys to be turned into 14 flats by property's owner, Friends Provident? If so, they're no friends of York.

27th Jan 2007 - Holocaust Memorial Day in York
Janet Hopton, Lord Mayor of York, attended the memorial service at Clifford's Tower to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. The event centred on Clifford's Tower because it was the scene of York's darkest hour when 150 Jews died at the hands of a mob in 1190.

Clifford's Tower is no place to build a shopping mall.

Holocaust Memorial Day in York

Click for earlier news from 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, and 1998-2000.