All aboard for York Central
The first phase of development at the £2bn scheme has received detailed planning approval from the City of York Council, paving the way for more than 1,000 homes combined with a commercial district, hotel, and a brand-new western station entrance.
At least 20% of the homes will be for social and affordable rent and sale and new public squares, an extensive public park and a network of courtyards, cycle ways and footpaths will also be created to connect this new quarter to the rest of the city.
Construction will start on site next year following extensive site investigation works, which will begin imminently.
In addition to the previously approved Museum Square, and 134,000 sq ft Government Property Agency hub hosting up to 2,600 civil servants, this new approval provides for:
- 1,014 mix tenure homes, including 20% affordable
- A new western entrance at York railway station and accompanying civic square
- 213-bedroom hotel
- Extensive parkland and public realm
- 99,190 sq ft innovation hub
- 67,447 sq ft retail and leisure space
The first buildings will be completed and available for occupation by early 2029, with all of phase one estimated to be complete during 2030.
The scheme is being brought forward by joint venture development partners McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate, Homes England, and Network Rail, in close collaboration with key stakeholders, the City of York Council, and the National Railway Museum.
Masterplanner Allies and Morrison has led on the scheme, as well as landscape specialists Grant Associates, with Sheppard Robson, Cartwright Pickard, Corstorphine & Wright, Haworth Tompkins, 3D Reid, and re-form completing the wider team of architects.
Recently completed infrastructure works include a new road network, public realm, and pedestrian and cycle routes, as well as upgrades to the National Railway Museum, which sits in the heart of the public realm.
The site’s regional and national importance is also reflected in its designation as both a Mayoral Development Zone and an Enterprise Zone.
When the whole York Central development is complete, it will support 6,500 jobs, deliver at least 2,500 homes and provide more than 1,000,000 sq ft of commercial space.
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Housing secretary Angela Rayner said: “York Central is a fantastic opportunity to transform derelict brownfield land into thousands of new homes, jobs, and green spaces, giving more people the chance to live and work in this great city.
“By unlocking one of the biggest regeneration projects in the country, we’re turning years of talk into action to drive growth in every region, raise living standards and build the homes communities desperately need.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “York Central is going to transform the city, delivering thousands of much-needed new homes, including affordable housing, and creating thousands of high-quality jobs.
“That’s why it’s a big moment to see these plans move forward. Soon we’ll see York Central take shape and transform how people see our county.
“This £2bn project will strengthen our links across the North, and ensure York remains a fantastic place to live, work, and invest for decades to come.”
Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said: “This is fantastic news for York. Planning approval for phase 1 of York Central is another major step forward for one of the most significant regeneration projects in our city’s history. It brings us closer to delivering the homes, jobs and opportunities that residents want to see and to growing York’s economy, which will benefit communities across our fine city for generations to come.”
John Gatley, chief executive officer of McLaren Property Group, said: “This is a major step forward in securing a prosperous future for the proud and historic city of York. While it’s the culmination of many years hard work by a committed public and private sector partnership, the real work starts now as we have the green light to convert our vision to reality.”
Tom Bridges, executive regional director for North East, Yorkshire and the Humber at Homes England, said: “This planning approval marks a defining moment for a site that has been decades in the making and reflects the strength of our long-term partnership with Network Rail, City of York Council, and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
“As joint landowner, we’ve worked to unlock this brownfield site with a vision to create the homes, jobs, and public spaces York needs.
“With over £135m of government-funded infrastructure already in place, we now have the foundations to deliver over 1,000 new homes, a new innovation hub and vital public realm in this first phase alone, and we look forward to seeing this vision become reality as construction gets underway.”
Stephen Hind, director of business development & sponsorship for Network Rail, said: “York Central shows what’s possible when we make the most of under-used rail land in places where people want to live and work.
“Network Rail is proud to have played a part in unlocking this brownfield site, releasing land that has been shaped by our railway’s history to now shape the future of York. This is exactly the kind of long-term thinking the country needs to deliver the homes, jobs and growth communities deserve.”
Tom Gilman, managing director of McLaren Regeneration, said: “From the outset, our vision has been to deliver a place that is both worthy of its historical location but also forward looking, providing the space the city and its people need to continue to thrive long into the future.”
Allan Cook, founder of Arlington Real Estate, said: “Designing and delivering a new city quarter, particularly in a world-renowned place like York, is a fantastic opportunity but also a huge responsibility and I am proud that the work our team have done has been met with such great enthusiasm.
“York Central has been designed to breathe a different kind of life into this already vibrant city, and this decision allows us to now move into the delivery phase with start on site expected next summer and completion of the first of the buildings in early 2029.”
Craig Bentley, director of the National Railway Museum, said: “The National Railway Museum is proud to stand in partnership as the cultural heart of York Central and welcomes the exciting next stage of this ground-breaking urban regeneration project.
“Our transformation of the museum as part of the York Central development will create a new welcome building [Central Hall], a new permanent gallery space, provide level access throughout the museum for the first time and help us share the innovative stories of railways past, present and future as we look to inspire the next generation.”
