GIVE IT BACK
The Give it Back campaign is an online petition which aims to convince the City of York Council to recover recently sold land and cancel the planned disposal of other land and buildings on the Barbican site, York. We ask all interested parties to copy the petition printed at the end of this explanation and e mail the page to the three addresses shown on the petition.
Why Give It Back? You can read details of the Barbican saga elsewhere on saveourbarbicanyork.org.uk but recent events have left the Council redevelopment plan in tatters. Part of the land has been sold with the aim of building 250 apartments and a large hotel, but the developers have announced that the work has been cancelled due to the economic downturn. It is probable that no work will take place in the foreseeable future, even though the developers have only a limited amount of time to start the development before their planning permission runs out. This part of the site is now derelict and, we believe, unsafe as the boundary is currently insecure. The Barbican buildings, known as the Centre, are due to be disposed of in 2009, but a ruling of the European Court of Justice has thrown doubt on the legality of such a deal. [See SOB website complaint to European Commission.]
Why a swimming and sports centre? The Barbican site was used in this way for many years and the site is ideally placed to serve the city centre residents, workers and tourists. It also has good transport links with the outlying districts. It is close to many schools and is within walking distance of Yorks two Universities. Importantly, the very large surviving buildings, being in pristine condition and fitted out for sports use, are ideal as a base around which to construct a super sports centre. Whilst acknowledging that the original Barbican development plan was conceived with the best of intentions, S.O.B. has always believed that the Council had got it wrong. Events have proved us right, as the Councils master plan now resembles a dogs breakfast and is known locally as the Barbican Fiasco. Something must be done to resolve the inertia and impasse and we believe that restoring the site to its original use is now not only viable but the best option.
Why invite the Universities to participate?
Simply, unity is strength and both Universities have know-how and expertise that will be invaluable to the running of the type of centre we are suggesting. We believe that with University participation it will be possible to construct a Centre which will be the envy of the Nation and will be a model for other Authorities to emulate.
How?
The participation of the Universities will make it possible to achieve charitable trust status and, apart from various tax breaks, will make many sources of funding available. The National Lottery and the Sports Council are two that immediately come to mind and there are many charitable organisations such as the Foundation for Sports and the Arts which could be approached. Government funding may also be available. A further factor is also very important. The Councils Barbican redevelopment plan was motivated by the desire to halt the subsidy being incurred by the huge operating losses of the Barbican as it was then run. The losses were largely caused by the National Business Rate [NBR].Before the inception of the NBR the payment of rates on Council-owned enterprises was essentially a paper exercise. The Council set the rate and paid it to itself! With the inception of the NBR the business rate was collected by the Council and paid to the Government, which made it a very real and expensive overhead and was the main contributor to the 500,000+ yearly loss on the Barbican trading. Charitable trust status qualifies for an automatic rate relief of 80% and the other 20% can also be refunded if the Council agree. [They had better agree or we will start another campaign!] Full rate relief would truly be a massive saving to a combined Universitys and Public Centre and would be the key to the financial success of such an enterprise.
We feel that another important benefit would be that the influence of the Universities might curb political excess. All Parties in York have used the Barbican as a political football and this must stop if any progress is to be made.
What's in it for the Universities?
There would be huge advantages to the Universities in a partnership along the lines we have suggested. Both Universities need first class facilities in order to attract the high quality students and staff they need. Sporting and Swimming provision is a most important attraction but providing these is very expensive for a single University. e.g. Neither of Yorks Universitys has its own swimming pool! The S.O.B. proposal would be the cheapest option of providing superb facilities for University students and staff. The Barbican is close to both Universities. Many students live close to the Barbican now and over 400 student apartments are currently being built a stone throw from the site! Space for expansion and provision of facilities is at a premium on the existing University sites and planning issues for both are likely to become more contentious in the future whereas, the Barbican has existing use permission. Furthermore both Universities would immediately have the use of a modern, fully equipped, 1500 seat Auditorium complete with Bars and full catering facilities. We believe they might find this useful!
Whats in it for the people of York?
The provision of facilities that could be among the best in Europe and an end to the bitterness, wrangling and controversy that has blighted the provision of swimming and sports in York for over 12 years. Our Barbican proposals are not intended to replace any existing facilities; such proposals would be resisted strenuously by us. On the contrary our proposals are designed to add to and compliment them, e.g. I believe I have read that there are more public swimming pools in Paris than in the whole of England! Our proposals might even prove of benefit to the Developers, perhaps even helping to save jobs for York.
Whats in it for the City of York Council?
A chance for the Councillors of all parties to prove, once and for all,
that they are true statesmen and women.
What if the Universities show no interest?
Then our campaign goes on! It is possible for the City of York to go it alone but we hope the Universities respond positively as without them our concept would be considerable poorer
Please copy and e mail below here:
Save our Barbican
A non political campaign group
Give it Back!
An on-line petition to the City of York Council and the Minister of Sport.
If you agree with the suggestions and demands listed below, please E mail a copy of this page to the leader of the City of York Council, Andrew Waller at cllr.awaller@york.gov.uk and copy to the Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliff M.P.at minister-sport@culture.gsi.gov.uk and saveourbarbican@yahoo.co.uk [copying to SAVE OUR BARBICAN is vital so we can monitor response] and please, PLEASE ask your friends and contacts to also e mail in support of our cause. It does not matter if you do not live in York, as we already have many supporters from all areas and we believe that all citizens should be allowed to be involved in the proper provision of affordable sporting and leisure facilities
Statement by the Save Our Barbican Group.
1. I demand that the City of York Council cancel the proposed lease-off of the Barbican Centre buildings to Absolute Leisure. 2. I demand that the City of York Council begin proceedings / negotiations to recover the now derelict site of the formally demolished swimming pools, together with the bowling green and car parks etc known as the Barbican site and recently sold to Barbican Venture. 3. I also demand that the land and car parks on the adjacent Kent Street is also recovered and used, together with the Barbican land and buildings, to re- instate what was previously on the Barbican site, I.E. Swimming and Sporting facilities for the use of the Children, Citizens and Students of York and valued visitors to the City. |