York: Multi-storey car park plans ditched

The car park had intended to replace spaces at Castle car park

A proposed multi-storey car park in York will not go ahead, the council has confirmed.

The £15m project to turn St George's Field car park into a multi-storey facility was put on hold in 2021.

It would have replaced spaces being lost by the conversion of Castle car park, next to Clifford's Tower, into public open space.

The development is part of the Castle Gateway plan to regenerate the Castle site, St George's Field and Piccadilly.

It includes the creation of a new multifunctional public realm and events space, new city centre homes and a focus on reducing traffic inside the inner ring road.

Economy and transport executive member Pete Kilbane told a council meeting: "We do not intend to build a multi-storey car park in St George's Field.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, it is now being considered if the money saved could fund other areas of the Castle Gateway project.

Neil Ferris, corporate director of place, said: "[He} has given us strong indication that the authority won't be delivering a £15m multi-storey car park.

"Clearly that decision is for the executive to make but I'll take that as a given."

The council has said the Castle Gateway scheme will need alternative funding sources

Mr Ferris said that money generated from Castle Mills, a residential development planned as part of the project, was originally going to help fund the multi-storey car park, but if that is not going ahead then "there are opportunities to reconfigure" where the money goes.

A sum of £4.4m has been spent on the project since 2017 and a council report showed costs have increased since works were paused during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council has said alternative funding will be needed for the scheme to go forward given the authority's financial position.

The council is facing a budget shortfall of over £11m.

"It's no secret, the financial position we're in," said finance executive member Katie Lomas.

"While we're going to pursue any options for alternative funding sources for any and all of the ambitions we have for the city, there is a reality to it."