Hull presses on with city living plan

Site marketing will begin in earnest after proposals to bring around 1,000 homes to three brownfield city centre sites were rubber-stamped by the council’s cabinet.

One site, known as East Bank Urban Village will see up to 850 new homes delivered on the eastern bank of the River Hull, with another 200 properties at a second site at St Stephen’s Place close to the HM Land Registry office in Colonial Street.

Hull City Council expects that these sites would offer the potential for high-quality apartments providing social rooftop areas and spaces for families, outdoor play and integrated green spaces, as well as private gardens and sports provisions.

Myton City Gateway, to be developed on a former retail park site, is expected to be of mixed commercial use and, given its prominence and proximity to the A63 Castle Street improvements, “could deliver an impressive entrance to the city centre with opportunities for retail, commercial and leisure developments,” the council said.

The council acquired the run-down retail park site in December 2020 for around £3m.

Earlier this month, Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, the council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said of the city living aspirations: “Like many other towns and cities in the UK, there is a huge housing shortage in Hull that needs to be addressed and cannot be ignored.

“Two of the three empty sites have the potential to provide hundreds of vital new homes and it’s important the council does all it can to build homes every bit on unused brownfield land in the city.

“All three sites are also key to regenerating Hull’s urban fabric, where placemaking and high-quality design can create dynamic and exciting places to live for all generations, foster new communities and unlock opportunities for personal and economic growth.”