A York car park which is in such a poor condition it “poses a risk to the safety of drivers” could soon be resurfaced.
The car park is next to York Minster’s Old Palace Library – and there are also fears its rundown state could damage the priceless archaeology of the site.
Now the Minster works department has applied for permission to resurface the car park – as a temporary measure before the area is turned into something else entirely.
The site of the car park
A design and access statement reads: “The condition of the current car parking area is poor. A large pothole / sunken area exists which poses a risk to the safety of drivers and to the below-ground heritage of the Scheduled Monument.
“This pothole, noted by Historic England, also presents a potential risk to archaeology due to its depth and compaction.
“Moreover, the condition of the car park detracts from the significance of the Old Palace Library (listed Grade I) adjacent.
“The aesthetic value of its principal elevation, with its significant five-lancet motif, is diminished by the craters to its foreground.”
As well as resurfacing the car park, the plans include planting three new Japanese cherry trees inside the railings.
The 430 sq m car park now has some low level bollards for lighting, which are not working. It used to have a 4m lamppost but that was recently removed following damage in a collision.
New bollard lighting is proposed, along with an EV charging unit.
The reurfaced car park would be temporary. The Old Palace Car Park is identified “as a key area for redevelopment” under the agreed York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan.
“It is intended that the area be opened for public access to create a formal sensory garden for the wellbeing of the local community and wider city,” planning documents state.
“This forms part of wider plans for the redevelopment of the neighbouring Old Palace as a centre of excellence for education and learning and as York Minster’s new dedicated museum space.”
Fundraising for the implimentation of that plan is now underway.
A planning statement says: “The new surface covering will be appropriate to the surrounding designated context and is designed not to harm archaeological survivals and protected trees and their roots, whilst ensuring a sub-base of suitable strength with good water management.
“It fulfils the evident need to repair the currently-damaged surface and will secure the usage of the site as a staff car park in the short term.”
You can read and comment on the planning application here.
