BDP updates ‘My Castle Gateway’ proposals
A round of engagement as part of City of York Council’s plan to develop the Castle car park and Eye of York area is now live, with revised plans expected to be submitted in early 2025.
In November 2023, the council’s executive asked for the scheme to be reviewed to deliver flexible green space with play provision, retain blue badge parking, and keep costs down.
What comes forward will likely be more modest than the project envisaged in a 2022 planning application, due to the project failing to gain Levelling Up Fund support under the Conservative government.
The draft proposals presented by landscape architect BDP, to be considered in a now-launched round of consultation, include:
- More planting and green spaces
- Improved pedestrian facilities
- Options for retained blue badge parking
- Connections to the river with a riverside path and boardwalk to the rear of the Castle Museum which would link to the proposed new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Foss
The council has worked with the My Future York forum on generating ideas and getting residents’ views into the plans for the car park, Eye of York and surrounding areas.
CoYC said that the My Castle Gateway engagement over recent years has provided a public brief for the community space and connected residents to landscape architect BDP to bring the ideas to life.
The Eye of York is the space enclosed by the York Castle Museum and York Crown Court. There are different ideas for different areas within it, such a quiet area near the court, and a seated area near Clifford’s Tower.
As with the previous scheme, the plans include a riverside walk and riverside gardens. A proposed revision is that the boardwalk to the rear of the museum would link the riverside park to the proposed new foot and cycle bridge over the River Foss to Piccadilly, and the new crossing to St George’s Field.
The following events are being held for residents to ask questions and learn more about the plans:
- Saturday 7 September – My Castle Gateway on-site tours at 90-minute intervals, with four slots starting from 9.30
- Monday 9 September – My Castle Gateway online event at 7.30pm
- Thursday 12 September – Guildhall Ward Committee meeting at 5.30pm at the Quaker Meeting House, Friargate.
The consultation will run until 20 September.
Cllr Katie Lomas, executive member for finance, performance, major projects, human rights, equality and inclusion at CoYC, said: “The Castle Gateway plans have been shaped by a real desire to improve this important part of the city.
“Over recent years the council has been listening to a range of ideas which have shaped an open brief and masterplan for the area to create a place where all our residents want to spend time and enjoy.
“We want to get on with delivering these improvements. The key changes that we are asking for views on respond to our core commitments as a council to equalities and climate as well as the recently approved ‘Our City Centre’ vision.
“Also, following unsuccessful levelling up funding bids in previous years, we need to adapt the scheme to make it affordable and deliverable for the city, all while achieving the improvements to the area that people are demanding of us.”
The scheme will now be brought forward in phases due to funding constraints, focusing on the Castle car park and the boardwalk in the first phase.
The original planning application will be revised so that a comprehensive scheme is developed for the whole area in phases.
Full information on the consultation process can be found online.
