Major repairs needed at Bootham Bar

Bootham Bar is a Grade-I listed building and a Scheduled Monument located in the York Minster Cathedral Precinct Conservation Area in the City of York Council district. It forms part of the City Walls. It dates back to the 14th century although an entrance to the city at this location has existed since Roman times.

Bootham Bar became the last of York’s gates to lose its barbican in 1831,

Damage caused by water exgreess in the buildign was found some 3 years ago.

The proposals include replacing the lead roof and repairing the timber roof structure, raising the turret roof and providing an improved roof access hatch. The internal rainwater goods would be rerouted to include external downpipes for the mitigation of water ingress.

A report submitted with the planning applications says,

The proposed roof will utilise the existing timber roof structure with replacement timber substrate and structure where found to be rotten, following guidance from Mason Clark Associates (structural engineers). The replacement lead to the roof will provide improved bay and gutter widths, falls, drips and new wood core rolls in accordance with Lead Sheet Association guidance.

Following development of the proposed options in discussion with Historic England, the decision was made to relocate the downpipes to the external northeast elevation to mitigate against future water ingress issues and to provide easier maintenance visibility of the rainwater goods and roof condition. The new RWGs are proposed to be constructed in cast iron to match the existing material and will be painted to match the stone colour.

An overflow chute, weir and hopper will be installed so that any issues or blockages will be visible from ground level. The proposed chute through the existing stone is necessary to allow water to be directed away from the interior and will follow the existing stone course, providing easy maintenance access for clearing out the hopper and weir if necessary.

All vegetation is to be cleared where noted in the proposed roof plan and redundant RWGs are to be removed down to first floor level. Sky facing surfaces will be repointed in NHL lime mix and vertical faces in hot lime mix”

The planning application is by the City of York Council and involves “replacement roof, installation of new gutters, rainwater pipes with chutes, raising roof to stair turret for new door and repairs to existing timber roof structure”. Click here to view planning application

Historical background

click to access

Have your say on improvement plans at Bootham Bar

Bootham Bar junction

City of York Council wants to hear what residents and businesses think of a new scheme improve pedestrian access at one of the busiest junctions in the city centre.

Works will take place later this year on the Gillygate, Bootham and St Leonard’s junction, which is all part of the Traffic Signal Asset Renewal (TSAR) Project. 

The TSAR project involves installing new signalling equipment and ducting, but also provides an opportunity to consider different options that could enhance the whole area for pedestrians and cyclists.

Two possible designs have been prepared, both would replace all the signals and increase the width of space for pedestrians waiting to cross Gillygate.

Option ‘A’ is the simplest design with little change to the existing layout while option ‘B’ would provide more pedestrian space and improve the historic setting of the area.

It would also allow for an ‘all green’ pedestrian phase across all arms of the junction, with no need to wait half way across when crossing from the Art Gallery to Bootham Bar and a less traffic dominated area.

However, the removal of the left turn lane from St Leonard’s Place to Bootham, and the changed signal phasing, would increase traffic delays and queues at peak times, with potential impact on air quality in Gillygate and Bootham.

Tell us what you think

Views are being sought on which design residents and businesses prefer and why, between Monday 1 March until Wednesday 31 March, and can be submitted, by:

• Completing the short online survey 
• Emailing views to: TSAR@york.gov.uk
• Writing to: TSAR Programme, Transport Systems, Corporate Directorate of Economy and Place, West Offices, York, YO1 6GA.

In addition to the above, over 650 properties in the immediate vicinity of the junction will be sent details of the consultation and offered assistance if they cannot view the design options online.

Have your say on improvement plans at Bootham Bar

Bootham Bar junction

City of York Council wants to hear what residents and businesses think of a new scheme improve pedestrian access at one of the busiest junctions in the city centre.

Works will take place later this year on the Gillygate, Bootham and St Leonard’s junction, which is all part of the Traffic Signal Asset Renewal (TSAR) Project. 

The TSAR project involves installing new signalling equipment and ducting, but also provides an opportunity to consider different options that could enhance the whole area for pedestrians and cyclists.

Two possible designs have been prepared, both would replace all the signals and increase the width of space for pedestrians waiting to cross Gillygate.

Option ‘A’ is the simplest design with little change to the existing layout while option ‘B’ would provide more pedestrian space and improve the historic setting of the area.

It would also allow for an ‘all green’ pedestrian phase across all arms of the junction, with no need to wait half way across when crossing from the Art Gallery to Bootham Bar and a less traffic dominated area.

However, the removal of the left turn lane from St Leonard’s Place to Bootham, and the changed signal phasing, would increase traffic delays and queues at peak times, with potential impact on air quality in Gillygate and Bootham.

Tell us what you think

Views are being sought on which design residents and businesses prefer and why, between Monday 1 March until Wednesday 31 March, and can be submitted, by:

• Completing the short online survey 
• Emailing views to: TSAR@york.gov.uk
• Writing to: TSAR Programme, Transport Systems, Corporate Directorate of Economy and Place, West Offices, York, YO1 6GA.

In addition to the above, over 650 properties in the immediate vicinity of the junction will be sent details of the consultation and offered assistance if they cannot view the design options online.

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Cycling to be allowed on High Petergate?

It looks like the York Council will reintroduce cycling access on High Petergate. The street which links through Bootham Bar was pedestrianised many years ago.

This did make cyclists traveling north to south dismount or take a more circuitous route.

Shared pedestrian/cycle space can work and is popular in some continental City’s such as Bruges.

However, in York, there are some cyclists who travel too fast in shared spaces like that around the Minster and the narrow streets around Bootham Bar are often packed with tourists who may be unaware of local conventions.

So we hope that any trial will include advice for cyclists to give way to pedestrians.

A decision on the plan is expected to be taken at a meeting being held on 24^th October.

NB. Any cycle routes will permit cycling in High Petergate in a southerly direction (i.e. from Bootham Bar to Duncombe Place ) only at all times. The street would remain one way. There are no plans to allow cycling in other footstreets.