Masonry falling off an historic York building has prompted new plans to protect people below, amid financial challenges.
An application from York Minster’s Works Department proposes fitting netting to 8-9 Minster Yard, replacing a scaffolding ‘crash deck’ currently installed there.
Plans stated masonry on the Minster Gates and Minster Court sides of the 19th century building had started to crumble and pieces had begun falling onto the street below.
But they added significant economic constraints facing the Chapter of York, including upcoming renovations to another historic building costing at least £5.5 million, meant funding was currently unavailable for full repairs.
Plans lodged with City of York Council would see the safety netting fitted to the front of the building that was originally constructed as two private houses between 1837 and 1838.
It was designed by architect James Pigott Pritchett in the neo-Gothic style as part of the wider redevelopment of the Minster Yard area.
The Grade II-listed building’s archetectural features include embattled parapets and octagonal turrets.
Its previous uses include an Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise Office and the building in the 20th Century and it was later home to York Minster’s Song School.
The Minster closed the Song School in 2020 and plans were lodged to convert it into an office the following year.
Plans from the Minster’s Works Department stated masonry was falling from the building’s flanking turrets, gables and window heads.
Scaffolding and a crash deck have been temporarily installed to stop falling objects injuring people using the building and passers by.
Netting is proposed as a stop-gap solution, with plans stating it was deemed less visually intrusive than the scaffolding currently installed there.
The Minster has used netting to stop bird nesting at and to prevent masonry falling from its other buildings.
Sand-coloured netting has been chosen for 8-9 Minster Yard so it blends in with the building’s stonework.
Full repairs are planned for the building but they cannot be done until the renovation of the Grade I-listed St William’s College are completed.
Those works are expected to cost at least £5.5 million.
Plans stated the later repairs to 8-9 Minster Yard were expected to begin within the next five years.
They added the benefits from those works would outweigh the harm caused by fitting the netting in the meantime, which is deemed to be minor.
Plans stated: “Fragments of building material have been falling onto the public
realm.
“The natural solution is to carry out immediate conservation repair of the stonework to ensure public safety and the preservation of the listed building.
“However, the Chapter finds itself under significant economic constraints, partly due to the highly significant restoration project about to commence on St William’s College.
“Restricting access to the façade with fencing is also unviable as shared access is required to the rear of several Low Petergate properties.”
