Hull publishes city centre vision

Led by the city council and Planit and supported by Deloitte, Greengage, ShedKM, Counter Context, and YemeTech, the masterplan sets out a framework for regeneration through to 2045 and lays out a 20-year roadmap for public and private sector investment.

Twelve key projects are highlighted within the City Centre Vision, including short-term wins in the form of Albion Square, ECF’s East Bank Urban Village, Paragon on Colonial Street, and City Hall, which are already underway in various forms.

Vinci Construction started remediation work to the city centre Albion Square landmark earlier this year, with a call now out for development partners.

East Bank Urban Village is being jointly developed by Muse, Legal & General, and Homes England and will provide around 850 new homes and be located to the east of the River Hull, opposite the old town.

Early design work is underway on the Paragon site, which will open up the development potential of the city’s north west gateway and connect through to St Stephen’s Shopping Centre, the stadium, and the hospital.

Meanwhile, the council is upgrading City Hall, turning the former civic asset into an entertainment and leisure destination.

Longer term and yet-to-be-launched projects listed within the report include opportunities along Ferensway, Princes Quay, Whitefriargate, the ‘Blue Loop’, Freetown Way, Prospect Triangle, and Hull College.

• A Ferensway Innovation Corridor has been suggested for the city, which would provide new workspace in the city and would be clustered around Ferensway. This has the potential to become the spine of a new innovation corridor along a people-first street, as the focus for new economic growth in the city centre.
• Neighbouring Myton Street would support this project. Adjacent to the arena and Princes Quay, the site has been reimagined as a place for a new hotel and workspace.
• The future of Princes Quay has been called into question, with the council wanting to make more of the landmark’s connection with the water. Suggestions focus on establishing the dock water space as a feature for ‘playful, fun’ activity space, such as a lido, boathouse, or floating islands.
• The CCV also looks to consolidate the retail core of the city centre, prioritising retail use along Jameson Street, King Edward Street, and Paragon Street, up to and including St Stephen’s Shopping Centre, to limit retail sprawl. The vision for Whitefriargate is for it to continue to evolve into a hotspot for local and independent shops, expanding into evening uses.
• The ‘Blue Loop’ is an active travel loop through the city that connects the historic dock network, while Freetown Way will be ‘rebalanced’ to connect the northern neighbourhoods into the city following a sustainable transport hierarchy.
• Prospect Triangle has been identified as a barrier between connecting the Georgian New Town back to Ferensway, and the CCV has highlighted its potential as a new gateway on arrival into the City Centre from Paragon Station. One suggestion for the site sees the Prospect Shopping Centre being retained in its current form, with new residential development added nearby, while a second option proposes removing the existing car park and creating a new public square. The third suggestion is to completely remove the shopping centre and replace it with a mixed-use living quarter with retail units at ground floor.
• Finally, the Hull College site has been labelled as ‘no longer fit for purpose’, with the wider estate being considered for an education cluster that opens up into Queens Gardens and the River Hull.

More details on each of the projects can be found in the full report.

The report notes that the CCV’s goals will require public and private sector investment, and that better connecting communities and assets to the city centre are key to unlocking Hull’s ‘future sustainability and liveability’.

The CCV will inform the new Local Plan, providing a framework for investment and addressing key planning issues to support its delivery.