THE long-running Coppergate Riverside inquiry in York has come to an end - with campaigners abandoning their bid to create parkland instead of shops.

York Tomorrow withdrew its appeal against City of York Council's refusal of permission for public open space near Clifford's Tower, after the authority warned it would seek costs from the campaign group.

York Tomorrow spokesman Philip Crowe said such action could have cost individuals within the group as much as £7,000 per day.

He said: "This threat of legal action in an attempt to close down this inquiry is, in our view, totally reprehensible and we shall be making representations about the conduct of the council elsewhere in the strongest possible terms."

He said the group felt the arguments which it would have brought to the inquiry were well-considered and valid, but there was a possible risk to individuals if an application for costs succeeded.

"We cannot afford to take this risk and we therefore feel obliged to withdraw our appeal," he said.

The council's barrister, Robert Palmer, earlier denied that the authority had issued any threats, saying rather that it had made an entirely acceptable offer not to pursue costs if York Tomorrow agreed to withdraw its "hopeless" appeal. He said the council had a duty to taxpayers not to spend money unnecessarily.

The main public inquiry into Land Securities' £60m scheme to build shops and restaurants between the tower and Piccadilly, which started in January, has now ended.