£77m investment confirmed for York city centre

Homes England and Network Rail have confirmed they will be investing £77m to ensure that York’s new city centre quarter development goes ahead.

The government funding, subject to planning approval, will enable vital infrastructure to connect the site, including a bridge over the East Coast mainline railway.

The infrastructure improvements will unlock brownfield land with significant access problems and allow the development of up to 3,705 homes.

It will also the development of up to 1.2m square feet of commercial development including 80% Grade A offices and improved access to the National Railway Museum.

A reserved matters planning application for the first phase has already been submitted to City of York Council for a new main road entrance to the development site.

Homes England and Network Rail hope work can start on site in 2021, while recognising that Covid-19 may slow progress.

‘This is fantastic news for York and it clearly demonstrates the importance of the partnership’s continued work and commitment to delivering this ambitious scheme,’ said York City Council leader, Cllr Keith Aspden.

‘The funding is a vital step to unlocking a £1.16bn boost to our economy and delivering a new generation of better paid jobs and hundreds of affordable homes, at a time when York needs it most. The scheme will also set new standards for sustainable living and clean growth, utilising brownfield land in the heart of the city.

‘The York Central Partnership is delivering where decades of proposals have failed. Our shared vision for an ambitious development which delivers cleaner, greener growth and a fairer economy in York underpins the entire project, and we will keep playing our part to make York Central deliver for the whole city.’

Homes England’s interim chair, Simon Dudley, added: ‘This investment is a clear signal of the government’s commitment to levelling up across the country by providing much needed homes and employment space in York.

‘The confirmation of funding provides that market with some much-needed certainty around a major strategic site at a time when it is planning ahead to recover from the pandemic.’

Photo Credit — Geralt (Pixabay)