Decision details

Purpose of Report: The report provides an update on York Central and responds to the decision by the Secretary of State not to call in the planning decision and seeks agreement to submit a Reserved Matters planning application for the first phase of enabling infrastructure. The report will also considers the financial options to release further budget to take the project forward in the absence of a Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) decision.

The Executive will be asked to agree the submission of York Central Reserved Matters planning application for the first phase of enabling infrastructure and agree the release of funding for the first phase of infrastructure.

It has not been possible to give 28 clear days notice of the intention to make this Key Decision. The reason why compliance has not been possible in this instance is to respond to the decision by the Secretary of State not to call in the planning decision and to consider the financial options to continue project work, within timescales, in the absence of a HIF funding decision.

Resolved:  (i)      That Option 2 be approved, and £750k be allocated to fund Early Contract Involvement (ECI), further design work and finalisation of a Reserved Matters Application (RMA) for the first phase of infrastructure, including the primary access into the site, new bridge / spine road, drainage, construction of an additional pedestrian and cycle deck onto Severus Bridge and construction of a new rail connection between the NRM and the East Coast Main Line (ECML), to be funded partly from the allocated York Central CYC capital budget (£451k) and Homes England funding (£335k).

(ii)      That the £1.25m budget provision previously agreed specifically for early site works be cancelled, with this funding now returned to the remaining unallocated funding for York Central.

(iii)     That approval be given to seek financial contributions towards the budget for up front design work from York, North Yorkshire and East Riding (YNYER) Local Economic Partnership (LEP), Leeds City Region (LCR) LEP and YCP ahead of the agreement for HIF funding.

(iv)    That the decision to undertake the further design works outlined in Option 3, over and above those set out in Option 2, be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Executive Leader, subject to the agreement of additional funds from YNYER LEP, LCR LEP, YCP or the award of HIF funding.

(v)     That the final sign-off of the RMA for the delivery of the Phase 1 infrastructure be delegated to the Director of Economy and Place in consultation with the Executive Leader and Deputy Leader.

Reason:     To ensure the delivery of York Central and to provide funding to enable the progression of the detailed design and planning for a new access route to York Central within the timescale of available grant funding.

(vi)    That a further report be brought back to Executive setting out options and proposals to include York Central in the bus Clean Air Zone.

(vii)    That, at the earliest point, the council work to deliver a new Bus Lane to become an integral part of the ph1 Infrastructure, ahead of the timescale required by S.106 conditions; this could be built at the same time as the spine road is constructed, improving bus journey times from day 1.

(viii)   That further consultation be carried out with local communities, residents and visitors to the site, via a ‘MyYorkCentral’ style of consultation.

(ix)    That the current Occupier Strategy be reviewed to ensure that commercial spaces encourage clean growth and help contribute to carbon reduction in the city.

(x)     That all the areas of opportunity to secure greater social economic and environmental benefits to the city indicated under paragraph 36 of the report be endorsed, and that these areas be explored in greater detail in order to secure those improvements.

Reason:     To ensure that the social, environmental and economic benefits of York Central are delivered and are strongly influenced by community engagement.