Council invites feedback on revised ideas for My Castle Gateway spaces

City of York Council is sharing revised ideas for new public space in one of York’s most historic and important areas – and wants to hear from residents and businesses.

Updated concept designs from landscape architects BDP imagine how the Castle and Eye of York area could meet residents’ ambitions for the public space to replace Castle Car Park, as well as how it can become greener and more accessible.

In November 2023, the council’s Executive asked for the scheme to be reviewed to:

• deliver flexible green space with children’s play provision
• retain blue badge parking numbers
• reduce capital and management costs

The ideas residents and businesses will be asked to feedback on include; more planting and green spaces, improved pedestrian facilities, options for retained blue badge parking, and 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 local partners My Future York to put residents’ views at the heart of plans to transform the car park, Eye of York and the wider area. The extensive My Castle Gateway engagement over recent years has provided a public brief for the community space and connected residents to the designers BDP as they bring those ideas to life.

Residents are invited to join the conversation by attending the next phase of engagement events. 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 will take place at 9:30, 11am, 12:30pm and 2pm
• 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, York YO1 9RL (no ticket required)

To book a place for the the on-site tour or online event go to: https://mycastlegateway.org/events/  

Alternatively, residents can provide feedback by commenting on the My Castle Gateway blog or social media pages, or by emailing regeneration@york.gov.uk.

The engagement period will run from 15 August to 20 September 2024.

Councillor Katie Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion at City of York Council, 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.

“Your thoughts and feedback are vital in helping shape the scheme design before a revised planning application is submitted, so please take a look at the updated concept designs and have your say.”

The scheme will now be brought forward in phases due to the funding available, focusing on the Castle Car Park and the boardwalk in the first phase. However, the original planning application, which was submitted in February 2022, will be revised so that a comprehensive scheme is developed for the whole area, which can then be implemented when funding becomes available.

The feedback gathered will allow detailed proposals to be developed, with a revised planning application expected to be submitted in early 2025.

Full information on the revised plans can be found at: www.york.gov.uk/CastleEyeOfYork

Sign up for the on-site tour or online event at: https://mycastlegateway.org/events/

Feedback can be shared on social media at www.facebook.com/mycastlegatewayor www.twitter.com/mycastlgateway, or on the My Castle Gateway blog at https://mycastlegateway.org/blog/.