The first phase of York Central, one of the country’s largest urban regeneration schemes, has been given the green light by the City of York Council.
The approval paves the way for McLaren Regeneration, in partnership with Arlington Real Estate, to build over 1,000 new homes, with at least 20% designated as social and affordable rent and sale, as well as a new commercial district, a hotel and a new entrance to the train station.
The plans also include new public squares, an extensive public park and a network of courtyards, cycle ways and footpaths to connect the new quarter to the rest of the city.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 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.”
The site’s regional and national importance is reflected in its designation as both a Mayoral Development Zone and an Enterprise Zone.
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 approval includes:
- 1,014 mixed-tenure homes, including 20% affordable
- A new western entrance at York railway station and accompanying civic square
- A 213-bedroom hotel
- Extensive parkland and public realm
- A 99,190 sq ft innovation hub
- A 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. When the whole York Central development is complete, it will support 6,500 jobs, deliver at least 2,500 homes and provide over 1,000,000 sq ft of commercial space.
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. I would like to thank everyone who has helped us reach this milestone, including those who took the time to engage with the project and shape the proposals. We look forward to working with our partners to turn these plans into reality and ensuring the project reflects the social and economic needs of people across all York communities.”
John Gatley, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Property Group, commented: “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 of 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. Now, we look forward to starting work on delivering this brand-new city quarter for the people of York, which will not only provide them with much-needed homes and jobs, but will also attract new investment and interest to the city and wider region, leaving a legacy that we can be proud of.”
