Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to get input from Members at an early stage in the production of the City Centre Area Action Plan (AAP).  The report outlines progress to date, and sets out the proposed scope, purpose and content of the AAP. Members views are sought on each of these issues and Officers will be using a presentation and ‘workshop’ approach at the meeting to stimulate debate.  The City Development team will report back to the Working Group in March 2008 with the draft document for approval prior to public consultation.  Consultation on an Issues and Options document is timetabled in the Local Development Scheme (LDS) for March 2008.

Members considered a report which requested input from them at an early stage in the production of the City Centre Area Action Plan (AAP). The report outlined progress to date, and proposed scope, purpose and content of the AAP.

Members received a presentation which covered the following areas :

• Issues and Options
• Progress
• Next Steps
• Scope and Purpose
• Proposed Contents
• Shopping in the City Centre
• Living in the City Centre
• Evening Activities and Entertainment in the City Centre
• Culture and Tourism in the City Centre
• Streets and Squares in the City Centre
• Green Spaces and Rivers in the City Centre
• Working in the City Centre
• Accessing the City Centre
• Gateway Streets
• Cultural Quarter
• Public realm improvements
• Enhancing and Accessing York’s Riverside
• Castle Piccadilly area
• The style of the document
• Title of the Plan

Members made the following comments:

• The need to ensure that the needs of York residents, as well as visitors to the city, are taken into account
• Ensuring that sustainability issues are considered for all aspects included in the Plan
• The need for evening activities to take into account the needs of families and visitors to the city
• Addressing the perception of crime in the city centre in the evenings
• The need to make York more viable for visitors in terms of promoting those attractions that are free to visit and achieving an appropriate mix of tourism
• Creating a “Yorkshire feel” for visitors to the city
• Improving the visual aspect of the riverside and improving access to and links between riversides and the City Centre
• Ensuring pedestrian zones are effective
• Identifying areas in the city in need of regeneration, such as Micklegate
• Accessibility to the city centre by public transport
• The need for secure cycle parking
• Accessibility of bridges by cyclists – e.g. Scarborough Bridge
• The need to define the actual area covered by the Action Plan   
• Look at the routes into the City Centre including Fishergate and Leeman Road
• Consider the implications of the World Heritage Site bid

Members commented that their involvement at this early stage in the process was very useful and productive.

RESOLVED :(i) That progress to date on the City Centre Area Action Plan be noted;

                                    (ii) That the input provided by Members to Officers as detailed above be noted;

                                    (iii) That the Next Steps be noted and that Officers be requested to produce a draft Issues and Options report for the Key Issues and Potential Action Areas (incorporating Members comments) and report back to the Working Group in due course¹;

                                    (iv)  That any further comments from Members be forwarded to Officers by 21 December.

REASON :                 (i) So as to be aware of the progress made on this component of the Local Development Scheme;

                                    (ii) To steer the direction of the Area Action Plan to incorporate all key issues relevant to the future of the City Centre;

                                    (iii) So that an Area Action Plan can be produced for the City Centre in accordance with the Local Development Scheme;

                                    (iv) To ensure that all Members comments are considered.