Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee

25 September 2023

 

Report of the Corporate Director of Place


Castle Gateway Update

Summary

1.    The Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee have requested an update on the Castle Gateway.  This is a short covering report to introduce the item, which will be supplemented by a PowerPoint presentation, Annex 1, and a verbal update at the Scrutiny meeting itself.

        Background

2.    In April 2018, the Council’s Executive approved the Castle Gateway masterplan, providing a new vision (informed by extensive engagement) to help shape the future transformation of this large area of the city. 

Work on Castle Gateway was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.  A comprehensive update on the regeneration of the Castle Gateway, including its next delivery stages, was then reported to Executive in June 2022 (Agenda pages 47 - 68), and a number of decisions were taken as follows:

(i) That the inclusion of the new public realm at Castle and Eye of York in the council’s round two Levelling Up Fund bid be noted. 

(ii) That, subject to planning permission being secured, officers be instructed to prepare tender documents to procure a contractor for Castle and Eye of York so that the procurement is ready to proceed should the Levelling Up Fund bid be successful

(iii) That the termination of the NEC3 PSSC with Wates to produce a RIBA Stage 4 design and construction price for Castle Mills be noted

(iv) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Director of Governance, to take such steps as are necessary to procure a construction contractor to complete the detail design/costing and subsequent construction of the proposed apartments, pedestrian/cycle bridge and riverside park at Castle Mills, and to bring a further report to Executive on the Castle Mills business case before proceeding into the construction contract based upon tendered price.

(v) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place to submit details to secure the necessary statutory consent under s106 of the Highways Act 1980 from the Secretary of State for the new bridge over the Foss navigation and to enter in to a build over agreement with Yorkshire Water in respect of the sewer running across the Castle Mills development

(vi) That the decision on whether to build a multistorey car park (MSVP) at St George’s Field be deferred until Executive has a construction price for Castle Mills

(vii) That officers be instructed to collect more data on parking demand, further engage with city centre businesses and stakeholders, and explore alternative options to maximise surface car parking provision at St George’s Field to inform the future decision on car parking replacement.


Several key factors have changed in relation to the Castle Gateway over the last 14 months since these decisions were taken.  A presentation/verbal update will be given at the Scrutiny meeting on 25 September 2023, which will cover:

-      what has changed since the Executive decisions taken in June last year

-      what these changes mean for the Castle Gateway

-      next steps and timescales for future City of York Council decisions   

Consultation

3.    The Castle Gateway regeneration has engaged extensively with the public, residents, and communities through the My Castle Gateway project over a period of several years. The overarching regeneration masterplan was overseen throughout that period by the Castle Gateway Advisory Group, which comprises of key stakeholders including York Museums Trust and English Heritage (both of whom have been invited to the Scrutiny meeting on 25 September 2023). 

 

Options

4.        This section is not applicable to this covering report as there are no options being presented to the Scrutiny meeting.  

 

Analysis

 

5.        This section is not applicable to this covering report as there are no options presented.   

 

Council Plan

 

6.        The regeneration of the Castle Gateway was one of the priorities set out in the “Making History, Building Communities” 2019-23 Council Plan. 

 The draft “One City, for all” 2023-27 Council Plan is currently working its way through the political decision-making process. It is therefore envisaged that any future decisions relating to Castle Gateway will be assessed under the new Council Plan framework (subject to its approval at Executive and Full Council on 14/21 September 2023). 

 

        Implications

7.    There are no implications from this report as it is only a project update for Scrutiny at this stage.

Risk Management

 

8.    This is an update report to Scrutiny only, with no decisions required.  A decision report will be taken to Executive in due course, which will include a full assessment of risks relating to the decisions being taken at that stage.

 

        Recommendations

9.    That Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee receives the Castle Gateway update. 

        Reason: To keep the committee updated.

 

 

Contact Details

Author:

Chief Officer Responsible for the report: 

 

Kathryn Daly

Head of City Development

Housing, Economy & Regeneration

kathryn.daly@york.gov.uk

 

Neil Ferris

Corporate Director of Place

 

 

Report Approved

ü

Date

13/9/23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specialist Implications Officer(s) Not applicable

 

 

Wards Affected: 

All

ü

 

 

 

For further information please contact the author of the report

 

 

Background Papers:

 

Castle Gateway masterplan – This masterplan was adopted by Executive in April 2018, providing a new vision to help shape the future transformation of this large area of the city. 

 Executive in June 2022 (Agenda pages 47 - 68) – This report was a comprehensive update on the regeneration of the Castle Gateway, including its next delivery stages.

 

Annexes

 

Annex 1     Castle Gateway Presentation

 

Abbreviations

 

Not applicable