Agenda item

This report sets out a proposal to fund the access route for York Central an area of land adjacent to the railway station using the West Yorkshire Transport Fund and to undertake further consultation on the route of the proposed new access.

Resolved:  That Executive agree:

(i)           To take up the West Yorkshire Transport Fund (WYTF) funding allocated for York Central and to confirm that the York Central access route will be part funded by CYC;

(ii)          To undertake further consultation on the access route for York Central as part of a future York Central planning strategy, with high level, ongoing engagement across the City in relation to the access route, with particular regard being given to residents most directly affected;

(iii)        Subject to the council agreeing to join the West Yorkshire Transport Fund, to agree to fund the access route definition and design outlined in the report from the £2.15 WYTF Gateway 1 allocation;

(iv)        To note the appointment of Development and Technical Advisors to develop a detailed planning strategy for the York Central Partners.

Reason:     (i)     To ensure the delivery of York Central.  

    (ii)     To ensure that a range of access options have been considered.  

(iii)     To enable timely progress on the York Central project.

(iv)        To ensure that a development scheme for the York Central site can be delivered.

Members considered a report which set out proposals to fund the access route to the York Central site using the West Yorkshire Transport Fund (WYTF) and to undertake further consultation on the route of the proposed new access to the site.

Members were reminded of the significant work, over a number of years, to identify access options to unlock the York Central site and to the jointly funded Network Rail/CYC assessment of the site and spatial plan. It was also noted that the access route onto York Central, which included an access road, a bridge across the rail lines and the main road round the rear of the station would largely be funded from the WYTF, in order to provide certainty to the development of whole site.

Officers confirmed details of progress with partners to produce a master plan for the site and engagement  with all interested parties via the York Central Community Forum. Officers also reported on the recommendations of the Corporate & Scrutiny Management Policy & Scrutiny (Calling-In) meeting, held earlier in the week. The meeting had considered the pre-decision call in of this matter to enable Members to input in the consultation, ensure that it engaged all Holgate residents and to gain assurance that all possible access options would be given equal consideration. Copies of the draft minutes of that meeting, were circulated for information and it was noted that following a wide ranging discussion the Scrutiny Committee had recommended:

(i)           high level, ongoing engagement across the City in relation to the access route for York Central be undertaken, with particular regard being given to residents most directly affected; and

(ii)          arrangements be made to ensure that any further consultation processes, in relation to the route and site, clarify the current status of Access Route E as being part of the package to unlock funding from the West Yorkshire Transport Fund (WYTF).

The Deputy Leader referred to his attendance at the Scrutiny meeting and reiterated that no decision had yet been taken on the access route to the site and that further specific consultation would be undertaken on all the access options. Following further discussion and consideration of the following options

Option A - route accesses the site from Water End to the North

Options B to E - accessing the site from Holgate Rd. Due to the high cost of each of the options, the identified need for public sector funding to support any redevelopment at York Central, and the fact that work to date indicated that development was serviceable and deliverable from a single additional point of access, there was an assumption that only one new route would be provided.

It was

Resolved:  That Executive agree:

(i)           To take up the West Yorkshire Transport Fund (WYTF) funding allocated for York Central and to confirm that the York Central access route will be part funded by CYC;

(ii)          To undertake further consultation on the access route for York Central as part of a future York Central planning strategy, with high level, ongoing engagement across the City in relation to the access route, with particular regard being given to residents most directly affected;

(iii)        Subject to the council agreeing to join the West Yorkshire Transport Fund, to agree to fund the access route definition and design outlined in the report from the £2.15 WYTF Gateway 1 allocation;

(iv)        To note the appointment of Development and Technical Advisors to develop a detailed planning strategy for the York Central Partners. ^1.

Reason:     (i)     To ensure the delivery of York Central.  

    (ii)     To ensure that a range of access options have been considered.  

(iii)     To enable timely progress on the York Central project.

(iv)        To ensure that a development scheme for the York Central site can be delivered.