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Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee |
27 November 2023 |
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Report of the Corporate Director of Place |
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York Central Update
Summary
1. The Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee have requested an update on York Central. This is a short covering report to introduce the item, which will be supplemented by a Presentation, Annex 1, and a verbal update at the Scrutiny meeting itself.
Background
2. The delivery of York Central has been a council ambition for decades, with the site considered integral to planning for the future of the city. There have been evolving planning policy positions through the late 1990’s and early 2000’s and there was a failed attempt at a commercial redevelopment where Network Rail had selected a preferred developer just ahead of the financial crash of 2007/8.
3. The turning point came in 2015 when the council approved development funding and also secured One Public Estate (OPE) funding to appoint a project manager on behalf of the York Central Partnership – Homes England, Network Rail (the majority landowners) NRM and City of York Council.
4. A period of intense project development activity followed; an access options report was agreed by Exec in 2017, paving the way for the development of an outline masterplan and the submission of an outline planning application in Aug 2018, that was formally approved in December 2019. This masterplan sets the parameters for development with an anticipated build out over 10-15 years.
5. The key York Central metrics are illustrated here, demonstrating the significant economic, housing and transport benefits that the project will deliver for the city and wider region –
6. The Outline Planning approval was followed by the first reserved matters application for the key access infrastructure: a bridge over the ECML at Water End; with a spine road and dedicated / segregated pedestrian and cycle routes running through the site and ultimately joining Leeman Road at the head of the Leeman Road tunnel linking to the city centre. This application was approved in Nov 2019.
7. The progress of the York Central project is documented by the 11 Executive reports listed in the background papers section of the report below spanning the period 2017 – 2022.
Consultation
8. There was significant engagement with public, residents, and communities through the My York Central project specifically in the early part of 2018 as the masterplan options were developed. There were also specific engagements on the infrastructure and NRM Central Hall application with a Public Inquiry on the Stopping up of Leeman Road.
9. More recently when Home England assumed the delivery lead there has been further engagement on the next stages of delivery with public engagement in January and March around the new public square – Museum Square, currently the subject of a live planning application and there have been further public information sessions, including archaeological discovery days, over the summer and Autumn with latest information available here - https://www.yorkcentral.info/
Options
10. This section is not applicable to this covering report as there are no options being presented to the Scrutiny meeting.
Analysis
11. This section is not applicable to this covering report as there are no options presented.
Current Position
12. The current position and some of the key project interdependencies are summarised in the presentation attached at annex 1.
13. The project has finally reached point where vision is becoming a reality. All the project development work undertaken to date has been fundamental to securing the benefits that York Central will now deliver for the city.
Recent timeline -
· Outline Planning Approval – Dec 2019
· Funding confirmed to Homes England – Sept 2020
· Reserved Matters App – Infrastructure – Nov 2020
· Enabling works completed by CYC – May 2022
· NRM Central Hall – planning consent - Aug 2022
· Main infrastructure works commenced – Sept 2022
· Additional EZ support – subject to Devolution – July 2023
· Developer Partner announcement – Nov 2023
· Announcement of Developer / Investor Partner – Nov 2023
Key future dates – (subject to change)
· First Office Planning Application – Dec 2023
· Determination of Museum Square Planning Application – Jan 2024
· First sections of new access infrastructure open – spring / summer 2024
· Completion of access infrastructure works – summer / autumn 2026
· First office occupation spring 2027
Council Plan / Local Plan
14. The delivery is York Central is key to the future of the city.
15.
The “One City, for all”
2023-27 Council Plan sets out
clear priorities and the delivery of York Central will contribute
to significantly to these, including:
Economy and good
employment: A fair, thriving, green economy for all -
York
Central will provide over 1 million square feet of Grade A office
space which will help local businesses grow within the city as well
as attract inward investment from other locations, providing the
growth needs of the city for the next 10 years. This will also help
create 6,500 jobs, boosting the local economy in the city as well
as supporting graduate retention rates and offering more employment
opportunities within the city, rather than people needing to
relocate to find work. The development will also ensure that
the world’s largest railway museum can continue to grow and
provide visitors with a world call experience.
Transport: Sustainable accessible
transport for all
York Central will prioritise pedestrians and
cyclists with excellent public transport, creating convenient and
safe pedestrian and cycle access through the site to the city
centre, railway station and surrounding communities and linking
into citywide footpaths and cycle ways, to enjoy the wider York
environment
Housing: Increasing the supply of
affordable housing
Local people will
benefit from the construction of up to 2,500 new homes across a
range of types from first time buyer homes to homes for older
people, including 20% affordable. The provision of this number of
homes can help to make York a more affordable place to
live.
Sustainability: Cutting carbon, enhancing the environment for
our future The project will deliver extensive new public spaces
including a new public park for the city, supporting bio-diversity
net gain and climate change adaptation.
16. The delivery of York Central is also a key economic growth component of the draft York Local Plan, providing the location for office space (up to 88,000m2) and new homes – up to 2500 - with 20% affordable over the life of the development.
Implications
17. There are no implications from this report as it is only a project update for Scrutiny at this stage.
Risk Management
18.
This is an update report to Scrutiny
only, with no decisions required.
19. This is a complex partnership project. A risk register is maintained by the delivery partners, which is actively managed through the project governance processes.
Recommendations
20.
That Corporate
Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee receives
the York Central update with a further update scheduled in March
2024
Reason: To keep the committee updated on this key project for the
city.
Contact Details
Author:
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Chief Officer Responsible for the report: |
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Housing, Economy & Regeneration
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Neil FerrisCorporate Director of Place
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Report Approved |
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Date |
17/11/23 |
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Specialist Implications Officer(s) Not applicable
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Wards Affected: |
All |
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For further information please contact the author of the report |
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Background Papers:
Previous Executive Reports:
15 November 2017- York Central – Preferred Access Route and Preparation for Planning
15 March 2018 York - Central - York Central Access Construction
21June 2018 - York Central Master Plan and Partnership Agreement
30 August 2018 - York Central Update - Western Access
29 November 2018 - York Central Enterprise Zone Investment Case
17 January 2019 - York Central Partnership Legal Agreement
18 July 2019 - York Central Partnership Update
24 October 2019 - York Central Update
23 July 2020 - York Central Update
22 April 2021 - York Central and York Station Gateway Update
21 April 2022 - York Central Enterprise Zone Funding Agreement
Annexes
Annex 1 York Central Update Presentation