York Council Unveils Plans To Build 2,500 Homes On Brownfield Site

York Council Unveils Plans To Build 2,500 Homes On Brownfield Site

People living in York are set to benefit from major redevelopment work in the area after the local authority revealed plans to build as many as 2,500 homes on one of the city centre’s brownfields sites.

Earlier this week, councillors gave the go ahead to the scheme following a planning meeting that lasted five and a half hours.

The proposal states one of the country’s largest city centre brownfield sites will be transformed with the landmark York Central scheme, according to the Yorkshire Post.

As well as building residential properties, the council plans to create offices to attract businesses and investors to the Yorkshire city, which it hopes will boost its overall economy by more than £1.16 billion and create 6,500 new jobs.

While the plans were approved just this week, they have been in the pipeline for a few years, with Homes England, Network Rail, National Railway Museum and the City of York Council having been working together to create a funding package worth £155 million.

Over the last four years, they have been figuring out the best way to unlock the brownfield site for redevelopment. This includes improving access routes, building the country’s first railway park, and constructing a new entrance to York Station.

Sean Bullick, managing director of marketing organisation Make It York, told the news provider: “Getting the design of the site right will be crucial, ensuring it is of the highest quality.”

He noted world-class architects and urban planners will be involved in the project to ensure it all goes to plan.

“This is an unparalleled opportunity to add to the quality of life of all York’s residents, businesses and visitors and we are delighted to see it progress,” Mr Bullick stated.

Also commenting on the news, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s head Susie Cawood told the newspaper the York Central plan is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity”.

However, Ms Cawood went on to advise councillors: “We continue to believe that York Central cannot be the sole answer to the future economic development for the city, and we would urge the council to support other commercial and employment sites, with the same enthusiasm it has shown to the York Central proposals.”

The York Central initiative is not the only residential redevelopment Homes England is supporting, as it recently revealed it is investing an extra £63 million to build thousands of new homes in West Sussex.

The additional funding will go towards the Northern Arc at Burgess Hill, which will see 3,500 new properties being built overall, as well as the construction of roads, a bridge, draining and utility works.

Countryside Properties was announced as the developer for the Freeks Farm area of the site, and plans to start building the first 460 properties from March 2020, to be completed by the end of next year.

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