The former Olympian accused of vandalizing Donald Trump’s restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has had his charges dismissed.

Investigations into David Hearn showed the damage was the result of a ‘flawed installation by the contractor’ and ‘the rush to complete the project’ in time for Trump’s America 250 celebration.

Government lawyers admitted as such in a 20-page court filing released Friday as DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to drop all charges.

‘Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,’ the filing states.

Hearn’s lawyers said in a statement that the case against him should never have been brought.

‘Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government´s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr Hearn an apology,’ the lawyers said.

The Daily Mail has reached out to both the White House and the Department of the Interior, which manages the pool, for comment.  

Hearn told the Daily Mail last month his arrest and the charges were a farce intended to boost a false narrative as he shared an image of the pool’s damaged facade. 

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial, top, and the World War II Memorial, bottom, is shown

‘It’s a completely unfounded accusation. It’s a lie,’ Hearn said over the phone. ‘I didn’t rip, tear, destruct, destroy, or harm in any way, any part of the reflecting pool.’ 

Hearn admitted to touching a ‘loose flap of coating,’ but claimed he did so purely because he was ‘curious as a concerned citizen.’ 

The 67-year-old from Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted last earlier this month on a single felony count of property destruction.

Before the country’s 250th independence celebrations, President Donald Trump launched a multimillion dollar renovation project for the Reflecting Pool, which was plagued by problems, including damage to its new coating. 

Trump, without providing evidence, has alleged the damage was caused by vandals.

Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker. He is accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage.

‘Every American should be alarmed about this prosecution,’ defense attorney Norm Eisen said after the hearing. ‘It is not a crime to touch the Reflecting Pool.’

President Trump championed the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington DC ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. 

Government lawyers admitted as such in a 20-page court filing released Friday as DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro (pictured) moved to drop all charges

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President Trump championed the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington DC ahead of America’s 250th anniversary

But less than two weeks after the project was completed, the newly refinished paint job began peeling, and algae blooms turned the water green. Trump admitted over the weekend that the pool may need to be drained for repairs. 

‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant he did nothing wrong. 

‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said. 

Hearn pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony count of property destruction and has a trial scheduled to start September 28 in DC Superior Court. 

The charge, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction, accuses Hearn of causing at least $1,000 in damage to the pool.

Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics, earning his best finish, ninth, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee says on its website.

He and his supporters have said the prosecution is a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to deflect blame and scapegoat others.

‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant he did nothing wrong. 

Investigations into David Hearn showed the damage was the result of a ‘flawed installation by the contractor’ and ‘the rush to complete the project’ in time for Trump’s America 250 celebration

The politically charged case that his defense attorneys and other Trump administration critics have derided as an abuse of prosecutorial power comes as Trump official Doug Burgum (pictured) says the pool has been vandalized since early June

‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said.

Hearn added that he had taken a photo of the peeling paint shortly before he was arrested and shared the picture with the Daily Mail. 

Video of Hearn’s arrest showed the Olympian standing by the Reflecting Pool with his bike before getting approached by two National Guard soldiers. The video then shows him walking over to four police officers and a third National Guard soldier.

A fifth officer dressed in a white shirt – identified by Hearn as Lieutenant Stone – can then be seen talking to the Olympian, whose hands were cuffed behind his back. Hearn said Stone ‘seemed to be the driving force behind the arrest.’ 

Hearn claimed he did not go into the water at all ‘other than the tips of my fingers,’ and that he touched the coating for less than a minute before he was approached by a National Park Service employee and arrested shortly thereafter.

‘We’ve already heard many lies from this administration,’ Hearn said. ‘That’s just another lie.’ 

Hearn also shockingly claimed that he was never read his Miranda rights when he was arrested. 

The Olympian said he was placed in ‘very tight handcuffs’ behind his back before he was placed in a jail cell for five hours. 

The Washington Monument is visible as a visitor takes a picture of the Reflecting Pool though a chain link fence on the National Mall

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Nadine Seiler arrives in an inflatable frog costume, to support former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

He said the cell was ‘fairly clean,’ but it was a ‘scary’ experience because ‘with the government that we’re under and right now, there have been many unlawful detentions.’ 

‘I was happy I wasn’t in ICE custody, and I was happy I wasn’t being sent to El Salvador, but there was a high degree of uncertainty over when I was going to be released,’ Hearn added over the phone. 

The Olympian claimed that during his five-hour stay behind bars he was not allowed to make a phone call, was not offered food or water and was told his imprisonment ‘was an open-ended detention,’ which meant he was not told when he would be released.

‘The conditions of the jail were physically good, but mentally difficult,’ Hearn told the Daily Mail.

Hearn said that in theory, he was pleased with the effort to renovate parks and national monuments in Washington DC, but he emphasized that the projects would be ‘more well received’ without ‘a sort of a baggage of corruption to it.’ 

Hearn said that in theory, he was pleased with the effort to renovate parks and national monuments in Washington DC, but he emphasized that the projects would be ‘more well received’ without ‘a sort of a baggage of corruption to it.’

The breakdown of results for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election across Bolton including the areas of Farnworth, Horwich and Westhoughton

Voters in Bolton have had their say in the Greater Manchester mayoral election 2026.

People across the borough, including in Astley Bridge, Breightmet, Bromley Cross, Farnworth, Lostock, Horwich, Blackrod, Kearsley and Westhoughton, have cast their vote in the election. In total, there are around 234,000 eligible voters across Bolton.

The by-election was triggered after former mayor Andy Burnham stood down after becoming the new Makerfield MP, and eventual Prime Minister. Mr Burnham held the post of Mayor of Greater Manchester from May 2017 to June 2026.

The by-election is the first in the UK for a strategic authority mayor, and the biggest by-election ever held in the country.

The seven candidates standing in the election were Sian Niamh Astley of Reform, Geraldine Coggins of the Green Party, Labour’s Bev Craig, Conservative Phil Eckersley, Richard Martin Kilpatrick of the Liberal Democrats, Restore’s Marlon Scott West, and Independent Marcus Jonathan Farmer.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester’s powers include strategic governance across the region for health, transport, housing, strategic planning, waste management, policing, and the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

This year’s election was held using the Supplementary Voting System, where voters mark their first and second choices. The mayor will be decided by the first-preference votes, and if there is no clear winner, the second-preference votes will help decide the final outcome.

Votes took place in all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, including Rochdale. Polls closed at 10pm on Thursday, July 30, with the count taking place on Friday at Co-op Live from 9am.

As no one recieved 50% or more in the first round of voting, second preferences needed to be counted, with the result being declared at 11pm.

Below shows a breakdown of how people across Oldham voted in the election, with the overall Greater Manchester-wide results below. Turnout was 23%.

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 19,718 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 12,524 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 5,095 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 5,041 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,820 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 1,016 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 484 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 4,170 votes for a total of 23,888
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 4,998 votes for a total of 17,522.

Before the games William chatted to five Team Wales athletes – lawn and indoor bowler Ross Owen, blind para bowler Julie Thomas and her guide John Wilson, and weightlifters Madaline Connelly and Catrin Haf Jones – when he visited the London Welsh School in Hanwell, west London.

Launched by York Food Festival and backed by the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund, the scheme aims to support groups across York and North Yorkshire.

It enables charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations to borrow essential event equipment including gazebos, tables, chairs, signage, and crowd management tools.

The project aims to remove one of the biggest logistical barriers to staging public events by providing access to professional equipment that many organisations cannot afford to buy or hire.

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Michael Hjort, director of York Food Festival, said: “Successful high streets are about far more than shopping—they are places where communities come together.

“Festivals, markets, demonstrations and community events all help create vibrant places that people want to visit and spend time in.

“This scheme gives community organisations and local partnerships access to professional-quality equipment that would otherwise be beyond their reach.

Mayor David Skaith has funded the scheme. (Image: Pic supplied)

“By sharing resources rather than duplicating them, we can support many more events, make better use of public investment and help bring more activity to York’s high streets throughout the year.”

The scheme has received £46,000 in funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority through the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund, which is designed to revitalise high streets and support community-led activities.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “Our high streets are where our communities come together.

“That’s why I’m backing creative ideas from the people who know their area best with my High Streets Fund.

“By supporting the Events Equipment Sharing Scheme across York and North Yorkshire, we are helping to create a pool of equipment for events and community activities on our high streets, reducing costs, transport needs, and environmental impact.

“This is one of 66 projects we’ve supported across York and North Yorkshire helping to transform our high streets into vibrant destinations that residents and visitors will want to return to again and again.”

The scheme also features a dedicated online booking system and website, making it easy for organisations to check availability and reserve items.

Equipment is stored centrally in York to maximise accessibility while minimising transport costs and environmental impact.

The programme supports a growing network of organisations working to enliven York’s city centre and neighbourhoods through events that boost footfall, support independent businesses, and strengthen community bonds.

Eligible organisations across York and North Yorkshire can now apply to borrow equipment for events that benefit local communities and high streets.

Further details and application information can be found on the York Food Festival website at www.yorkfoodfestival.com/about-us/community/events-equipment-sharing-scheme.

Police in Arizona have released two ransom notes in the hope the public can help identify whoever abducted the mother of US news presenter Savannah Guthrie.

The first note, which is treated as apparently credible, demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin. The other claimed Nancy Guthrie died shortly after she was abducted from her home near Tucson six months ago.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office say they cannot verify her death, and the investigation remains active.

Officials released the two notes on Friday, asking the public for help identifying the writer, whose “distinct linguistic characteristics may be recognisable”.

Investigators believe that Nancy Guthrie, who was aged 84 when she was last seen on 31 January, was taken against her will from her home, but they have not shared a possible motive or arrested a suspect.

The notes were addressed to Savannah Guthrie and the Guthrie family, and sent to a local TV station in Tucson, Arizona, in the days after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, according to the sheriff.

“A friend, family member, coworker, classmate, or acquaintance may recognise these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

The first note, which was received on 2 February, began: “Hello Savannah, we have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th.

“If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th. Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not recieved [sic] by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed.

“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible.

“You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you,” the note continued.

After what appears to be a redacted sentence, it ends: “She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in backyard was destroyed.”

Here is your chamber round-up for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council for the month from the Local Democracy Reporting Service

The legacy of the former ‘Prince Andrew’ was wiped from the history of Lisburn’s 400th anniversary as a new plaque surfaces on an Irish Yew tree at Lagan Valley Island civic centre.

Recycling campaigners have warned that the council has “bungled” a decsion to U-turn on greater separation of household waste wiht ratepayers to face the cost of millions of pounds.

Also in the month of July, a DUP councillor secured his Facebook account to prevent “vile and nasty” attacks on his family following a “proud dad” post, demolition of two Dunmurry tower blocks comes to a crunch and Ireland’s first Ryder Cup Captain weighs in on new Balmoral Golf Club.

Here is your latest round up of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council matters for the month of June:

‘Prince Andrew’ legacy wiped from Lisburn’s 400th anniversary

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A tree marking the 400th anniversary of Lisburn has had its links to the former ‘Prince Andrew’ wiped permanently from history with a new plaque put in place.

The original plaque dedicated to the former Duke of York was removed due to his controversial links to the deceased billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

A suggestion box was opened by Lisburn and Caslterreagh City Council to allow councillors to put forward their views for the future of the Irish Yew tree and commemorative plaque.

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Dunmurry tower blocks look set for speedy demolition at fraction of predicted time

Two Dunmurry tower blocks could be pulled down in a fraction of an “18-month” time frame amid years of demolition delays.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive high rise flats are predicted to be “completely gone” by the end of the year after work to demolish began just last week.

Both Coolmoyne and Rathmoyne towers on Seymour Hill are now being torn down at the same time despite earlier indications by the NIHE chief executive of a “phased” process.

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‘Bungled’ bin policy could prove costly to ratepayers, warns recycling campaign

A Northern Ireland recycling campaigner blasted a “bungled” council bin decision, saying it’ll “cost ratepayers’ millions”.

Keep Recycling Local (KRL) called on Lisburn and Castlereagh City to rethink its “backwards” decision to include glass with paper.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed, through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, that the council has no timeframe to roll out its new bins with a Stormont department confirming the local authority has not applied for funding on new kerbside collection models.

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Lisburn councillor secures Facebook to protect family from ‘vile and nasty’ attacks

A Lisburn councillor hit out at “vile and nasty” Facebook posts towards his son taking part in a family unionist tradition.

The personal attacks were of such a high volume the DUP member said he was “encouraged” to secure his own social media to prevent further abuse.

The chairperson of the council’s corporate committee, which deals with public relations spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service to “protect my family” and call out Facebook “fake accounts”.

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Ryder Cup star backs Balmoral Golf Club plans amid council concerns

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Ireland’s first ever Ryder Cup Captain backed his designs for a new Belfast golf club for “generations to come” as significant planning progress was made.

But a planning committee raised concerns about a lack of talks with Belfast City Council causing potential retraining for councillors.

In comments released to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, former Ryder Cup Captain, Paul McGinley said:”Designed to work with the landscape rather than against it, Ballylesson will honour the game’s origins while creating a sustainable course that can be enjoyed by generations to come.”

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EastEnders actor Shane Richie is facing a drink-driving charge following his arrest at a petrol station.

The soap star, who first appeared as Alfie Moon in 2002, was caught in a row with staff at a Tesco garage in Harlow, Essex, just after 11pm on Wednesday.

Richie (real name Shane Roche) had been driving his white Hyundai with what looked to be a flat tyre before the incident unfolded. The rest of the forecourt was empty at the time.

Footage obtained by The Sun showed the 62-year-old growing agitated after being warned he was not allowed to vape on the forecourt.

E-cigarette in hand, he told the employees, ‘I don’t give a f**k,’ explaining that it was ‘not smoking, it’s a vape’.

Noticing one of the workers was recording, he waved his hand, as if to usher them away, and said, ‘You, you.’

A male staff member then said: ‘I have to get it on video for the police. That is a vape, and that’s a risk in this petrol station.’

Snapping, the actor retorted: ‘What, you’re filming me? Alright, I’m going to film you.’

Having approached two other female workers outside the kiosk, Richie asked them to tell their colleagues to ‘go away’, but one of them informed him that she was the manager.

It’s claimed that the garage manager called the police on her mobile, telling them: ‘He started getting aggressive, and he started vaping, so smoking an electric cigarette.’

Leaning on his car, allegedly waiting for someone to come and ‘change [his] tyre’, Richie shouted back: ‘Not smoking a cigarette.’

Upon their arrival, officers had Richie pointed out to them. Upon approaching him, one was heard saying: ‘These guys have said you might have been drinking and that you’ve driven this vehicle in here.’

This is where The Sun’s footage cuts off, and Richie is seen walking towards the police car, where he was subsequently arrested for drink driving.

He is reportedly due in court next month.

A source told the publication in the aftermath that it’s ‘extraordinary he behaved like that’.

‘It was stupid, and he was also being quite argumentative with staff,’ they added.

‘They didn’t know who he was at first. It was only after the police came that they realised.’

Essex Police confirmed in a statement: ‘Officers were called to reports of a suspected drink driver in Church Langley Way, Harlow, shortly before 11.20pm on Wednesday, July 29.

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 22:43 BST, 31 July 2026 | Updated: 23:46 BST, 31 July 2026

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck Naples as the southern Italian city is hit by power cuts and falling boulders that have crushed cars. 

Authorities have reported no immediate requests for emergency help as backup power has been restored. 

However train and metro services have been disrupted and some buildings across the city have been damaged.  

The quake was centred at the Campi Flegrei area, according to Italy‘s Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV), west of Naples, at a depth of around 3km.

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The area, site of Europe’s largest volcanic crater, is home to frequent seismic activity.

The quake occurred at 5.46pm and had a depth of three kilometres, INGV said.

Firefighters said they received reports of stuck elevators and small chunks of plaster falling but no immediate requests for assistance.

The city of Naples said a high-voltage pylon supplying the city with electricity had collapsed, but backup power had been restored to affected areas.

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Emergency workers assist a resident following a magnitude 4.7 earthquake in Pozzuoli

Police secure the areas of collapses and damages. Pictured: A white car is crushed beneath the weight of falling debris

Elderly residents sit outdoors as they prepare to spend the night in the street for fear of further tremors

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Workers clear debris from a street as cars drive around the city following the earthquake on Friday night

Power cuts were affecting some areas of the city, with emergency workers on-site for repairs, the authorities said.

According to Italian media outlets, the earthquake is one of the strongest ever recorded in the area. 

Residents in some neighbourhoods in Naples rushed out into the street as the magnitude 4.7 tremors hit. 

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In recent years Campi Flegrei, a densely populated volcanic caldera which encompasses large parts of the west of the city, has faced increasingly frequent seismic activity.

This has prompted the Italian government to step up monitoring of the region. 

And there are fears that thousands could be displaced as many were forced to leave their homes in Campi Flegrei in the early 1980s amid a seismic crisis. 

In November 1980, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the Irpinia region of southern Italy, killing around 2,700 people. 

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And in 2016, roughly 300 people were killed as earthquakes struck parts of Lazio, Umbria and the Marche regions.

Dena Collins died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on January 12 2023 from a heart attack caused by a blood clot

A primary school teacher who died one day after being discharged from hospital would have survived had a blood clot been diagnosed and treated, a coroner has found.

Dena Collins, 28, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Greenwich, London, on January 12 2023 from a heart attack caused by a blood clot, despite medics initially suspecting a clot may be behind her symptoms.

Miss Collins, from Eltham in south London, had texted friends and family saying she suspected she had a blood clot after Googling her symptoms and potential side effects of antibiotics she was taking. On Friday, an inquest into her death concluded at Inner South London Coroner’s Court on what would have been her 32nd birthday.

Following the hearing, her sister Clare urged people to “trust your body” and “advocate for yourself” if something feels wrong, as Dena had visited both her GP and the hospital about her symptoms prior to her death.

Delivering her conclusion, assistant coroner for the area Linda Jacobs said a post-mortem examination found Miss Collins had died from a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in a large vein, and a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that occurs in the lungs.

The coroner said: “Had the suspicion of a DVT and a pulmonary embolism been acted upon and a treatment dose had been given – the fatal cardiac arrest would’ve been avoided.

“Had a DVT and a pulmonary embolism continued to be accepted, she would’ve received treatment dose anti-coagulant and on the balance of probabilities would not have died,” she added.

Miss Collins visited her local GP three days before her death, complaining of leg pain, and was diagnosed with muscular pain and given reassurance.

On January 11, the nursery and reception teacher went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital complaining of four days of leg pain, fever and diarrhoea. She used a crutch to walk and was limping because of the pain. Despite the possibility of a blood clot being noted at triage and positive results from a D-dimer, a test used to identify clots, she was given a diagnosis of a possible ruptured cyst and told to return the next day for a scan.

The lifelong Crystal Palace fan collapsed at her family home the next morning and her father gave her CPR before an ambulance took her back to the same hospital, where she died a couple of hours later.

The coroner said she had found there had been “errors of clinical judgment” in both Miss Collins’ primary and secondary care in the lead up to her death, but that this did not amount to neglect.

Ms Jacobs noted that risk factors including that Miss Collins had been taking the combined oral contraceptive pill were not considered during her visit to the GP.

Following the hearing, Miss Collins’ sister Clare said: “Dena knew her body. She knew something wasn’t right and she sought help repeatedly.

“If there is one thing I hope people take from her story it is this – trust your body, trust your gut. If something feels wrong, keep asking questions, seek a second opinion and advocate for yourself loudly.

“We hope the findings of this inquest lead to accountability and meaningful change so that no other family has to experience all that we have endured.”

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Dozens of Miss Collins’ family members and friends joined the inquest conclusion hearing online, and her parents and sister attended in person.

A Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust spokesperson said: “We are truly saddened by Dena’s death and the devastating and lasting impact it has on her family and friends.

“We recognise how important this inquest was to the Collins family and we will now take steps to understand it in full so that we can consider how to take forward the relevant recommendations made by the coroner.

“While nothing can change the sad outcome for Dena and her family, the learnings coming out of her death will help drive changes for future patients. We continue to offer the Collins family our sincere condolences and are here to offer any further support they may need.”

Vertu Mazda in Layerthorpe has now officially shut, with its forecourt cleared of cars, after a short consultation period where a spokesperson said that they were ‘reviewing the financial viability’ of the site.

In a message to customers, the company said: “As a valued Vertu customer we are writing to inform you that Vertu Mazda York will be permanently closing on July 31 2026.

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“To ensure you continue to receive the high-quality service and care you’ve come to expect, Vertu Renault York (located just three miles away from Vertu Mazda York) will now support your ongoing sales, servicing and repair needs and the colleagues there look forward to serving you.”

The garage is empty, aside from one member of staff who is working inside (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

Vertu Renault York is at Clifton Moor Gate and serves customers from York and surrounding areas, including Wetherby, Pontefract, Leeds, Thirsk, Hull and Scarborough.

However, some customers – including Andrew Mortimer – were told to contact the garage in Harrogate to book a new service, something that was ‘somewhat of a shock’ as he was able to successfully book an appointment at the start of the month.

The forecourt is mostly empty with only a few cars still inside (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

As reported by The Press over the years, developers have been eyeing up the site which is on the edge of York city centre for several years with one applicant said to be “working collaboratively with the council since February 2023″ on student housing plans.