Issue - meetings

The Assistant Director of Regeneration and Asset Management to present a report which outlines the progress to date, particularly the recent public consultation on access options. The results of the consultation exercise and an analysis of the options are set out in the report and are accompanied by York Central Partnership’s recommended access option paper with a view to adopting this route and integrating this into the developing masterplan.

Resolved:  (i)      That the recommendation of the York Central Partnership (YCP) - to develop a Western access option for inclusion in the York Central Masterplan and to undertake further design and legal work to ensure that the final alignment will seek to mitigate the effects of such a route on the Millennium Green and control costs to ensure deliverability – be agreed.

                   (ii)      That a change request be submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to re-allocate funding to the revised access scheme.

                   (iii)     That land within YCP’s control that could be used for a Southern Option be safeguarded, in order to protect against any risk to the York Central development caused by circumstances preventing successful delivery of a Western Option.

                   (iv)    That the plan for the YCP to undertake public consultation on a masterplan which will lead to the submission of planning applications be noted.

                   (v)     That the allocation of £1.997m from the previously agreed York Central budget of £10m to meet project costs to planning submission be agreed, with these costs to be considered as a project cost for reimbursement from a future YCP development account.

                   (vi)    That, in taking the project forward,

a)   Council Officers be directed to:

·        Focus on community engagement as an integral part of the process for the detailed design of the preferred access option, and the development of the York Central Masterplan (YCM), in accordance with the YCP principles;

·        Consider how the development can become an exemplar of sustainable development through the detailed design of the preferred access option and the development of the YCM, in accordance with the YCP principles;

·        Consider the potential for sustainable energy use and renewable energy generation as part of the development of the detailed design of the YCM, in accordance with the YCP principles;

·        Consider affordable housing delivery as an integral part of the YCM;

b)   The Partnership be requested to maintain the current provision of information to ensure that the council and the public are able to understand the background to proposals, in order that the scheme will progress over the forthcoming decades.

Reason:     To ensure the delivery of York Central and to ensure that the preferred access option has taken into account a range of considerations.

                   (vi)    That the National Railway Museum (NRM) be supported in the development of the NRM masterplan and bids for funding, including Heritage Lottery funding, to support their expansion plans.

                   (vii)    That a contribution of £200k be provided to the NRM towards the further development of their masterplanning and fundraising bids from the £10m York Central budget.

Reason:     To support the future enhancement and expansion of the NRM as an important cultural anchor to the York Central development.

The Assistant Director of Regeneration and Asset Management  presented a report which outlined progress to date on the York Central project, in particular the recent public consultation on access options. 

The adoption of a single access route was essential to enable the York Central Partnership (YCP) to proceed with a masterplan for the regeneration of this crucial development site, which was set to deliver up to 2,500 homes and £6.5k worth of jobs to the city. Consultation had been carried out on the three options judged to be technically deliverable within the required timescale for the scheme, namely:

·        Option A1 – Western access off Water End across the edge of Millennium Green (cost estimate £58m-£68m)

·        Option A2 – Western access off Water end through Millennium Green (cost estimate £15m-£25m)

·        Option E – Southern access off Holgate Road at Chancery Rise (cost estimate £10m-£20m).

The results, as set out in detail in the consultation report at Annex 4, had demonstrated a preference for a Options A1 and A2.  Further work was now being carried out by the YCP to develop a refined western option (A3) that would both mitigate the impact on Millennium Green and be less costly than Option A1.  Further consultation on this option would be carried out as part of the masterplan consultation and detailed planning application.

The Deputy Leader suggested some revisions to the recommendations in the report, which were accepted and subsequently approved by Members (see Resolution (vi )below).

With regard to matters raised under public participation (Minute 78 refers), it was confirmed that the YCP proposed to support the Millennium Green Trust in engaging legal advice on their position.

After a full debate, and taking into account the comments made by all the public participants as well as the contents of the report, it was

Resolved:  (i)      That the recommendation of the York Central Partnership (YCP) - to develop a Western access option for inclusion in the York Central Masterplan and to undertake further design and legal work to ensure that the final alignment will seek to mitigate the effects of such a route on the Millennium Green and control costs to ensure deliverability – be agreed.

                   (ii)      That a change request be submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to re-allocate funding to the revised access scheme.

                   (iii)     That land within YCP’s control that could be used for a Southern Option be safeguarded, in order to protect against any risk to the York Central development caused by circumstances preventing successful delivery of a Western Option.

                   (iv)    That the plan for the YCP to undertake public consultation on a masterplan which will lead to the submission of planning applications be noted.

                   (v)     That the allocation of £1.997m from the previously agreed York Central budget of £10m to meet project costs to planning submission be agreed, with these costs to be considered as a project cost for reimbursement from a future YCP development account.

                   (vi)    That, in taking the project forward,

a)   Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85