Homes England and Network Rail have agreed to invest £77m for infrastructure work to ensure that York’s new city centre development goes ahead
The infrastructure work will unlock brownfield land with significant access problems and allow the development of up to 3,705 homes.
It will also include up to 1.2 million sq ft of commercial development with 80% Grade A offices and enhancement of the setting and access to the National Railway Museum.
The government funding will enable vital infrastructure to connect the site, including a bridge over the East Coast mainline railway.
Investment in the York Central project was first announced in the March 2020 Budget.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has now confirmed the amount of funding and handed responsibility for overseeing the infrastructure investment to Homes England and Network Rail.
This land has been “underused for too long”
Simon Dudley, interim chair at Homes England, said: “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.
“We look forward to working with all the project partners on behalf of the government to unlock this challenging site so it will become a real landmark development for people living and working in the city, as well as visitors.”
Rob McIntosh, regional director for Network Rail, added: “We’re really proud of the work which has been carried out on York Central and this is a great vote of confidence in both the project and our city by government.
“This land has been underused for too long and our railway will be a key part of the success of the development, providing connectivity across the north as well as to the capitals in London and Scotland as we look to support the economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The project partnership
Homes England and Network Rail have supported the development of the site through land acquisition and master planning.
The joint venture between the two government organisations will now use its expertise in overseeing major infrastructure projects to enable the key city-centre development to progress.
Homes England and Network Rail are determined to push forward with the York Central project so work can start on site in 2021 while recognising that Covid-19 may slow progress.
