‘Goebbels’ jibe over council HQ
6:05pm Monday 19th May 2008
AN ARCHITECT has blasted the public consultation exercise by City of York Council over its revised headquarters project - claiming it was worthy of Nazi propagandist Josef Goebbels.
Matthew Laverack, of Laverack Associate Architects, claimed the consultation process was biased in favour of the massive complex in Hungate.
"Their first exhibition of drawings' was a joke - tucked under the gloomy stairs at the Guildhall offices behind barriers where it was not possible to properly see the images," Mr Laverack said.
"And the consultation cards could have been written by Josef Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister."
However, City of York Council leader Steve Galloway hit back, stating the Hungate plans were subject to public scrutiny in an identical fashion to every other major developer.
Mr Laverack said: "They asked for three things you liked most' but did not ask for three things you hated most'. The cards asked what three things would you change' but did not ask do you think the whole thing is wrong and should be scrapped or relocated to another site.' "There was no named officer to whom objection cards could be sent or a dialogue opened up. The cards simply went to York Council, Freepost YO376. The whole thing is a sham."
He also claimed the authority had refused to release full details of the buildings so people could make a proper evaluation.
"They have merely given out three perspectives and a biased statement," he told The Press. "They have not released any plans, sections or elevations which are essential for their revised scheme to be properly evaluated.
"They have been specifically asked for them by me and have refused point-blank to let us see them."
He said he believed this was because they had not really changed their scheme to any fundamental degree and did not want to give critics like him an early opportunity to criticise their latest proposals.
"If their revised scheme is so marvellous and overcomes all the objections, why are they not releasing all the drawings now for public comment? The plans and sections and elevations must have been worked out by the architects in order for the perspectives to be produced. There is no excuse for holding this information back.
"It is public information."
When the council recently unveiled changes to the proposed building, following strong criticisms of the original proposals, it said it would be "less boxy, softer and more in keeping with other buildings in the area," with the sharp, unbroken corners and roof-lines replaced by a staggered and fluctuating line.
But Mr Laverack claimed all the council had done was "chop the shape of its box a little," and redressed it in a few different materials.
"None of this overcomes the fundamental objection that the building is far too big in any event and that it is damaging to the conservation area in general and the Black Swan in particular."
Coun Galloway said: "When a planning application has been submitted, then, of course, all drawings, elevations etc will be made available for public scrutiny.
"The application will be dealt with in the same way as all other planning applications.
"Mr Laverack, who is a well- know local developer himself, will have the same opportunity to make representations as other residents in the city.
"The master plan for the whole of the Hungate area was agreed following public consultation and the council headquarters respects the limitations and opportunities offered within that overall brief."