Your Press
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email »
Minster piazza is set for go-ahead
8:20am Tuesday 24th June 2008
Comments (21)PLANS to create a piazza-style entranceway to York Minster are set to be approved today.
City of York Council has recommended that the Dean and Chapter of York's proposals to remodel the steps to the South Transept to form a disabled ramp and new steps, and its plans to remodel the carriageway to form a paved area at the South Transept and Minster gates, be approved.
The authority's planning committee will decide at a meeting today whether to give the scheme the green light.
A council report, which will be considered by the committee, says: "The works seek to provide improved and equal access into the South Transept with a new ramp and the creation of a better setting for the Minster by the formation of a piazza area around the ramp."
The report says there are also proposals to relocate the current ticketing system for entry into the Minster into the Minster-owned shops in Minster Gates.
"This would de-clutter its principal entrance and would enable the awe-inspiring interior of the South Transept to be more directly experienced," the report says.
Meanwhile, plans for a new multi-million pound secondary school in York are also set to be approved today.
City of York Council has recommended that proposals to erect a replacement school for the Joseph Rowntree School on its site, in Haxby Road, New Earswick, be approved. The authority's planning committee will also decide at the meeting whether to give the scheme the go-ahead.
The application is for a two and three-storey building - which would be built before the existing premises are demolished -- with car and cycle parking, landscaping and sports pitches.
Under the proposals, there would be cycle parking for 390 students.
Construction work on the new school, which would cater for more than 1,000 pupils, is due to start next spring, with the project set to be completed by September 2010.
City of York Council revealed yesterday that the contract for building the new Joseph Rowntree School has not yet been signed, with building firm Carillion Plc the authority's preferred contractor.
Have your say
Do you think the scheme should be approved?
Your Say YourYork Press
Gypsy, Netto says...
8:47am Tue 24 Jun 08
SJ61 wrote:Exactly. They are hypocrites.
How can the authorities complain about 'faux' gas lights a few hundred yards away not being sensitive to the surrounding area, then approve this??
ouserower, york says...
9:02am Tue 24 Jun 08
ouserower, york says...
9:12am Tue 24 Jun 08
Rob Marley, Haxby says...
9:53am Tue 24 Jun 08
It would work mint! You could drive through Monk Bar, place your order just under the Portcullis, drive past St Pete's and collect your eats from the new entrance.
For example, you could order a Double-Jesus Burger with Solomon's (large)Fries and a cup of Mother T of Calcutta.
You could be like all the other Burger hacks when you go and park your car up in St Leonards and find that your order is nothing like what you ordered.
Whilst walking back to the new entrance to challenge your order, you could be entertained by the Bish doing another fund-raising stunt by Bungee-jumping off the top of the Minster.
AdmiralN, York Centre says...
9:59am Tue 24 Jun 08
Cynic, York says...
10:03am Tue 24 Jun 08
ouserower wrote:More likely to be chavs and alkies on benches drinking White Lightening.
If its going to be called a 'Piazza' Does that mean it will be filled with Italian cafe's and restaurants?
anti-rant, York says...
12:47pm Tue 24 Jun 08
So then you'll be there, eh, Cynic? Paperbag and all..
ouserower, york says...
1:27pm Tue 24 Jun 08
SJ61, says...
1:56pm Tue 24 Jun 08
The realway to open up the Minster to a wider audience is simply to drop the entrance charge.
loxten, York says...
2:58pm Tue 24 Jun 08
as far as i can see the Piazza is a bold new initiative to increase visitor flow and income. Everybody seems to want something for nothing these days...someone has to pay - or would you prefer a grant from the Council based on a hike in Council Tax???
If visitors from outside the City need to pay for its upkeep then fair play I say...
SJ61, says...
3:23pm Tue 24 Jun 08
I don't have any beef at all. I'm merely stating an opinion. Sorry it's not the same as yours! I'm simply commenting that many other cathedrals do not charge an entrance fee and receive far more visitors. And I don't happen to think a new piazza is necessarily going to entice more people to go in and pay to see the minster - rather they will go and look at the new piazza. And the Minster is getting restoration funding from the Lottery, as evidenced by the huge signage advertising the fact last time I looked.
Steve, Clifton says...
4:36pm Tue 24 Jun 08
loxten wrote:Maybe it's time the Church of England gave back the Minster they stole by force, to the rightful owners the Roman Catholics. They don't charge for admission to Gods house! :)
SJ61 - the real way to cripple the Minster is to drop the entrance charge. It's free for all York residents anyway so what's your beef? They get no funding from Government so where do they make the money to pay for the restoration - currently needing £25 million... as far as i can see the Piazza is a bold new initiative to increase visitor flow and income. Everybody seems to want something for nothing these days...someone has to pay - or would you prefer a grant from the Council based on a hike in Council Tax??? If visitors from outside the City need to pay for its upkeep then fair play I say...
Gypsy, Netto says...
4:46pm Tue 24 Jun 08
ennoch, York says...
5:18pm Tue 24 Jun 08
Voice of reason, york says...
5:55pm Tue 24 Jun 08
ennoch, York says...
6:19pm Tue 24 Jun 08
Voice of reason wrote:The Edward are looking for bar cover if your interested?
Im going to parade topless if this goes ahead,or in a thong bikini and walk up and down.
Voice of reason, york says...
6:42pm Tue 24 Jun 08
ennoch wrote:I already work there sweetie.
Voice of reason wrote: Im going to parade topless if this goes ahead,or in a thong bikini and walk up and down.The Edward are looking for bar cover if your interested?
Jason, says...
10:04pm Tue 24 Jun 08
mivvi, near York says...
12:30am Wed 25 Jun 08
"The works seek to provide.....a piazza area."
Mmmm, Piazza area sounds good. Can we have a kebab area too please? And a Chinky?
Then it would match the rest of the city centre.
Voice of reason, york says...
1:22am Wed 25 Jun 08
In this section
- York Minster fire remembered
- Violence victim demands former York prison officer be sent to jail
- Two new cases of swine flu in York
- Council defends fitness record as study reveals number of obese youngsters has risen
- Muggers attack woman in Monkbar car park
- Heston Blumenthal draws up menu for revamped A64 Little Chef
- Royal Mail urged to keep York postmark
- York civic leaders in council house rent subsidy cash plea
- Father Christmas spotted in York – 168 days before December 25
- Service of thanksgiving to mark York Minster fire
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
SJ61, says...
8:24am Tue 24 Jun 08