Beverley cobbles could be listed to prevent destruction
A BID by conservationists to have ancient Beverley cobbles given listed status could secure their future or at least delay their removal by several months.
Beverley Civic Society made the application when it thought the removal of the stone setts would start this week.
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SUPPORT: Barbara English with petition supporting the Save Our Setts campaign. Picture: Kate Woolhouse
It meant, with a decision on the setts' listed status pending, they would have to be left alone.
In the event, the safeguard is unlikely to be needed.
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To allow further consultation, East Riding Council changed the works schedule of its £2.5m revamp in Saturday Market so the stone setts would not be affected until towards the end of the eight-month operation.
Professor Barbara English, of Beverley Civic Society, said: "You can only apply to have something spot-listed when it is in immediate danger of destruction.
"We thought the work was about to start this week."
The council's decision to allow more talks follows a series of vocal protests by people opposed to the removal of the stone setts.
Two marches through Beverley were followed, last Wednesday, by more than 200 people protesting outside county hall in Beverley ahead of the full council meeting.
At the meeting, Councillor David Elvidge asked whether the council should consider reusing the setts.
Council leader Stephen Parnaby said that had always been the intention.
He said: "I have also instructed officers to re-phase the scheme with works to the setts now scheduled in the latter part of the project to allow further discussions with stakeholders. A revised timetable will be published shortly."
No further information has been released about the scope of the discussions or the new timetable.
Prof English said: "They probably won't start on the setts for about four months.
"We feel it gives us all some breathing space and the possibility of a wider consultation.
"It's a reprieve we weren't expecting."
Prof English says she is now keen to work with the council on the wider consultation. She feels it should include all the statutory bodies that would be involved in a planning application.
She said: "If they open the doors, everyone who makes the decision will get to know how much interest there is in this.
"I don't think the initial consultation was wide enough or effective enough."
The newly phased Saturday Market scheme will get under way this week, weather permitting.
It is understood contractors will now start work at the north end of the market place next to Sow Hill.
The work will involve widening pavements and making it easier for pedestrians, particularly those with pushchairs and wheelchairs.
Comments
by Agingcowgirl
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 5:50PM
“The cobbles are absolutely fine to walk on, better than the pavements in some places, and I read somewhere that they plan to replace the cobbles with block paving! Excuse me but this is a road, used by lots of vehicles, including big delivery vehicles, how long will it be before the block paving is cracked and broken, bet they won't last as long as the stone setts have, and they were second hand when they were put down to begin with. Stephen Parnaby and his cabinet cronies should leave Beverley alone and use some of the money they plan to waste on this by 'maintenance' on all the roads in the county that really need it. Yes Sympathiser42, you are right, Parnaby et al are determined to turn Saturday Market into a pseudo 'plaza', by hook or by crook, they've been on too many foreign holidays! Yet go into any market town square in Spain or Greece and they probably have their tables and chairs out on setts far more ancient and uneven than the ones in Beverley, they cherish their heritage, unlike the philistines in ERYC.”
by charleswelton
Monday, January 14 2013, 4:39PM
“did you know Mr Leighton gets paid £116,000 a year. Shocking.”
by Sympathiser42
Monday, January 14 2013, 3:03PM
“Beverleybard...you are so right and this is mereley delaying tactics, and the fight continues as clearly they are intent on doing the work whatever their excuse/reason”
by beverleybard
Monday, January 14 2013, 2:12PM
“Wouldn't trust the council fully on this - at this very moment they could be looking for more ways (like the decision to designate the work "maintenance") to circumvent their advertised time-table and the listed status. They are politicians and they like to get their own way, irrespective of how much opposition there is!!!”
by Sympathiser42
Monday, January 14 2013, 1:37PM
“Please understand that the Setts are on the ROAD (highway) and not the pavement and there is NO need for people to walk across the road/highway as there are footpaths surrounding the Market Place. Vandalism by the Council on the pretext of maintenance for safety is yet again another ridiculous argument - the ROAD is for transport, the pavements (which do undoubtedly need attention) are for pedestrians. And this is one step nearer the Council's ideal of pedestrianising Beverley Market Place. The compromise is crossing points over the setts and until the Council are prepared to listen the views of the people the fight will continue. There is HUGE support for the retention of the setts which ERYC choose to ignore.”
by Anon_Geoff
Monday, January 14 2013, 12:36PM
“I can't wait for the story of a protestor who falls over on the cobbles and sues the Council.”
by currensy
Monday, January 14 2013, 10:18AM
“He said: "I have also instructed officers to re-phase the scheme with works to the setts now scheduled in the latter part of the project to allow further discussions with stakeholders. Who are the stakeholders?.”
by charleswelton
Monday, January 14 2013, 9:47AM
“Jolly good, save our setts! and save us from trifling comments too!”
by LordChez
Monday, January 14 2013, 9:14AM
“The 'ancient Beverley cobbles' are buried under tarmac, are these going to get uncovered? The stone setts have only been down circa 35 years and can hardly be called ancient.”