Public get say on car park's future

4:35pm Monday 12th May 2008

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THE fate of a controversial car park is coming under the spotlight after councillors promised to preserve the site as a "community resource."

Yorke Square car park, in Richmond, was the centre of an illegal planning application by Richmondshire District Council in 2006, when the authority tried to sell the site for housing.

After campaign group Save Our Shires - set up to fight the plans - managed to raise the £17,186 needed to take the council to court, the planning permission was eventually quashed and councillors voted to drop the application.

Now councillors and officers are to meet with members of Save Our Shire, to discuss how a public consultation can be carried out to determine the future of the site.

District council leader Coun Melva Steckles said: "The key message is that public consultation will be at the heart of Yorke Square's future.

"We know that local residents have some wonderful ideas about what should happen, and we see this as a great chance to unlock all that local knowledge and enthusiasm."

Couns Linda Curran and Stuart Parsons, ward members for Richmond West, added: "At last, there is a fantastic opportunity for the whole community to come together and have a say in the future of Yorke Square."

Mark Whyman, of Save Our Shire, said the group was optimistic about the meeting.

"We are so pleased that councillors have agreed to work with us, and we have lots of ideas for the site," he said.

"For example, it is sign-posted as a lorry park, and so people are put off parking there. Security is also an issue, and past problems have led to the toilets being closed. If these things were addressed I'm sure people would be much happier to use the car park again."

He added: "We don't know yet what form the public consultation process will take, but that is what will be discussed at the meeting.

"It's such a wonderful site, and the starting point of so many beautiful riverside walks. We are delighted that the community is to be involved in deciding its future."