Fossgate sign gets planning permission

Proposed metal banner

Councillors decided last night by 7 votes to 3 to approve plans to install a high level sign at the entrance to Fossgate.

The application had attracted no objections and in the end only three Labour Councillors opposed the plan.

Both Liberal Democrat representatives on the planning sub committee committee (Sue Hunter and Keith Orrell) spoke in support of the proposal

Conservation officers had opposed the sign saying it might create a precedent for other streets in the City. However the Civic Trust plan attracted support from local traders and the Merchant Adventurers Company as well as residents

The gateway sign is expected to be installed before the end of the year.

Castlegate sale – private emails published

Castlegate

Fairfax House (left) and Youth Advice Centre (right)

The York Council has been forced to publish internal emails on its proposed sale of the youth centre in Castlegate to the Civic Trust.

The Emails reveal that secret negotiations started as early as 2012, when an alternative building for the youth facilities centre was identified in Monkgate (later the Council said the centre should move to West Offices).

The Email trail also reveals that the Council had not agreed a market value for the Castlegate premises, nor had the Trust made a formal offer.

Given the under-estimate of the value of the Oliver House building, that alone will raise some questions about the plan.

The Email exchanges can be downloaded by clicking here