York Central is one of the largest brownfield sites in England. Located next to the city’s existing retail and business core and the railway station, the 45 hectare mixed-use development site has the potential to bring a valuable piece of York city centre to life.
It is a project of huge ambition which will transform underused land into vibrant and distinctive residential neighbourhoods, cultural spaces, and a high-quality commercial quarter to the heart of one of the UK’s most historic and desirable cities. It will also power York’s economy into the future, helping to provide the homes the city needs and grow its economy by 20%.
The National Railway Museum will be the cultural heart of the new development and together they will encourage further cultural and economic growth and connect the city’s residents and visitors.
York Central is one of the largest city centre brownfield regeneration sites in England, with some parts of the area restricted to rail uses for more than 150 years. The 45 hectare site has been designated as a UK Government ‘Housing Zone’ and has also been awarded ‘Enterprise Zone’ status, which offers commercial occupiers significant incentives.
Located adjacent to the city’s existing retail and business core, York Central offers the opportunity to create a series of new city centre residential and business neighbourhoods, with improved access to the city’s railway station. Uniquely, York Central also has the National Railway Museum as a key anchor to homes and businesses coming to the site. The world-class museum is hoping to attract 1.2 million visitors per annum as part of its own multi-million pounds masterplan.
The project is in its early stages, and has been granted outline planning permission which has set the overall parameters for the development.
The first Reserved Matters planning application (RMA1) was granted in 2020 for a new road through the site along with improved junction works at Water End. Contractors John Sisk and Son Ltd started work building this in Summer 2022.
The second RMA was approved for the National Railway Museum’s new Central Hall project was also approved in Winter 2022.
In 2024, planning permission was granted for a new public Square off Cinder Lane, next to York Railway Station and the National Railway Museum, referred to as RMA 3.
The fourth Reserved Matters planning application (RMA4) relating to the construction of a six storey office building including ancillary retail space, parking and new public realm was submitted and validated by City of York Planning department on 6th December 2023. The formal consultation period ended on 1st January 2024 and is pending Planning Committee scheduling.
The York Central project is a long term commitment to the City of York. The development will take place in a number of phases. It is estimated this will be ongoing until 2035.
York Central is being brought forward through a partnership of Homes England, Network Rail, the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum. These four partners bring together funding streams to support the delivery of infrastructure and land assembly, and are working collaboratively to support the development of York Central. Together they created the masterplan for the site and will manage the subsequent delivery of all development.
Contact the York Central team with any general questions about the development at yorkcentral@homesengland.gov.uk.
To contact contractors John Sisk and Sons about information relating to construction work at York Central, please email YorkCentral@sisk.co.uk.
How will York Central benefit the people of York?
The development will provide 2,500 new homes, 1 million square feet of employment space, creating up to 6,500 jobs, which will help to grow the economy of York by 20%
The development will ensure that the world’s largest railway museum can continue to grow and provide visitors with a world class experience
Local people will benefit by the provision of 2,500 new homes of a range of types from first time buyer homes to homes for older people, including 20% affordable. The provision of this number of homes will help make York a more affordable place to live.
The enhancement of the National Railway Museum will ensure that it remains one of the top visitor attractions in the country. There will be a new Central Hall and ‘Wonderlab’, an interactive gallery.
Full details are available at https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/ourmasterplan
York Central will provide over 1 million square feet of commercial space, including Grade A offices which will help local businesses grow within the city as well as attract inward investment from other locations, providing the growth needs of the city for the next 10 years. This will also help create 6,500 jobs, boosting the local economy as well as supporting graduate retention rates. It will offer more employment opportunities within the city, rather than people needing to relocate to find work.
There are a number of different organisations involved in developing York Central. For the latest opportunities in the infrastructure works, email CV and details to: YorkCentral@sisk.co.uk.
The York Central project will create a new pedestrian and cycle boulevard providing non-vehicular access through part of the site.
There are also new roads, which will include segregated cycle and foot paths making journeys easier and safer.
The new routes will provide a safe environment for all travellers with modern street lighting, CCTV and additional safety due to being overlooked by residents and visitors.
The York Central project will create a new pedestrian and cycle boulevard providing non-vehicular access through part of the site.
There are also new roads, which will include segregated cycle and foot paths making journeys easier and safer.
The new routes will provide a safe environment for all travellers with modern street lighting, CCTV and additional safety due to being overlooked by residents and visitors.
The York Central project will provide new roads, along with segregated cycle and foot paths making journeys easier and safer. The new road through the middle of the development will provide access to the new homes and to the car parking at the rear of the station.
There will be a new junction at Water End with a dedicated right turn lane to offset the impacts of increased traffic.
The new road will provide a safe environment for all travellers with modern street lighting, CCTV and additional safety due to being overlooked by residents. and visitors.
There is also a new pedestrian and cycle boulevard which provides non-vehicular access through part of the site.
The York Central project will provide new roads, along with segregated cycle and foot paths making journeys easier and safer. The new road through the middle of the development will provide access to the new homes and to the car parking at the rear of the station.
There will be a new junction at Water End with a dedicated right turn lane to offset the impacts of increased traffic.
The new road will provide a safe environment for all travellers with modern street lighting, CCTV and additional safety due to being overlooked by residents. and visitors.
There is also a new pedestrian and cycle boulevard which provides non-vehicular access through part of the site.
What stage is planning at?
Planning applications can be viewed at City of York’s planning portal https://www.york.gov.uk/planning-applications. We have also provided details of planning applications within the York Central website on the planning page yorkcentral.info/planning/
The plans for the National Railway Museum can be found on their web site at https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/ourmasterplan
The plans for the National Railway Museum were approved by City of York Council in the summer of 2022 and details can be found on their web site at https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/ourmasterplan
A masterplan is the beginning of a process. It is a flexible framework built on strong principles which will guide future development and help to safeguard quality and site heritage. It is not a fixed plan for the final buildings which will be constructed, but will establish the criteria that investors and developers must satisfy if they wish to put forward plans, ensuring that any future development is right for the city.
What the masterplan will decide is a preferred access option, the basic infrastructure and layout, public realm and how the site will link to surrounding neighbourhoods. It will also agree the mix of development for the site (residential/ leisure/ commercial), together with guidance on where the mix might be flexible, maximum building height and massing guidelines.
The next Reserved Matters planning application (RMA4) for the first office building was submitted and validated in December 2023. The formal consultation period ended on 1st January 2024 and is pending Planning Committee scheduling.
Consultation started in 2016 and a full list of all the activities is available at https://www.yorkcentral.info/have-your-say
The latest series of engagement events for the new Square and the first office building on the site started in November 2022 and was completed in March 2023 after 7 face-to-face events and two online.
You can contact the project team at any time by emailing yorkcentral@homesengland.gov.uk.
You can contact the project team at any time by emailing yorkcentral@homesengland.gov.uk
Who is involved in the York Central scheme?
Homes England is the government agency responsible for investing in increasing housing supply and releasing public land to the market. Its involvement has allowed the final pieces of land to become owned by the partnership, with future focus on unlocking the residential potential of York Central.
Network Rail is the national rail infrastructure agency and largest single landowner on the York Central site.
City of York Council, as local authority, and a partial landowner, has played a crucial role in facilitating the development of York Central. The Enterprise Zone and Housing Zone designations enabled the council to work with all partners to leverage the public funds necessary to; facilitate the enabling infrastructure, attract future investment, and crucially to unlock the site’s long term strategic development potential and build a great new place for the city and its residents.
A leading UK museum and visitor attraction, the National Railway Museum currently welcomes 750,000 visitors annually. A major landowner and anchor occupier, the museum is progressing its own multi-million-pound programme of investment and improvements: Vision 2025.
Building and construction contractor, Sisk, has been appointed as main contractor by Homes England to deliver civil engineering and enabling works for access and infrastructure.
Homes England and Network Rail have selected McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate as the developer for York Central.
Contact the York Central team with any general questions about the development at yorkcentral@homesengland.gov.uk.
To contact contractors John Sisk and Sons about information relating to construction work at York Central, please email YorkCentral@sisk.co.uk.
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