Details of a master plan for the ambitious redevelopment of York’s largest brownfield site have been unveiled this week as York Central, a 72-hectare site in the heart of the city, could be transformed to provide some 2,500 new homes and enable the expansion and enhancement of the National Railway Museum (NRM), improvements to the railway station and the creation of a network of public squares, green spaces and routes linking to surrounding neighbourhoods.
City of York Council writes:
The vast potential of York’s largest brownfield site has been unveiled today by City of York Council, Network Rail and the National Railway Museum (NRM), who have announced plans to consult with residents and businesses on what has been labelled as the King’s Cross of the North.
Over the past 12-months, the council has been working in collaboration with Network Rail, the NRM and the Homes and Communities Agency towards a high level masterplan of York Central – a 72 hectare site located in the heart of the city.
The city’s new vision could provide up to 120,000 sq m of high-quality office space, creating up to 7,000 new jobs, a new residential community for up to 2,500 new homes, with opportunities to expand and enhance the National Railway Museum, make improvements to the railway station and create a network of vibrant public squares, green spaces and routes linking to surrounding neighbourhoods.
The improvements to the railway station could include the creation of a new entrance to the west of the station, facing the development site, as well as the transformation of the existing city-facing eastern entrance, to create a more welcoming arrival, and improvements to the way that buses, cars, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians use the space, potentially including the removal of Queen Street Bridge.
To properly connect York Central to the city centre and neighbouring communities, it is planned to create a new foot/cycle network, including a new bridge over the East Coast Mainline from within York Central. With an additional new vehicular access bridge from Holgate Road also in place, options are also being considered for the potential to divert or close Leeman Road where it passes the NRM, to allow the Museum to expand and modernise.
York Council press release
