THE multi-million pound renovation of one of the region’s major art galleries has hit a snag – in the form of toxic soil.

York Art Gallery is due to re-open on August 1 following an £8 million revamp which has included work on the gardens surrounding it, the Edible Woodland and Yorkshire Flowers Garden.

However while the main re-opening will go ahead on time, part of the gardens will not be ready.

A report to the local council said the area directly behind the gallery would be delayed until September because of issues with the toxicity of the soil which had delayed the project and resulted in an increase in costs.

The chief executive of the York Museums Trust, Dr Janet Barnes, said the discovery of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAH, in the soil of the gardens meant part of the gardens would not be open on time.

"We discovered toxicity in the soil and we have done testing for lead and asbestos, but the PAH has got us, which we have never heard of at all,” she said.

“So we are having to really to have a rethink as costs a fortune to remove soil into landfill.

"The gardens will not be completely finished but people will be able to walk around woodlands part and will be able to get from the new gardens to the historic museum gardens which was always the point.

“That will be achieved by the opening. It will only probably be four weeks or five weeks and we can have another opening party. It won't be that long but the timing just wasn't with us."