More details have emerged about York Central, one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes.

York Central is the transformation of one of the largest brownfield sites in England. It will deliver 2,500 new homes, at least 20% of which will be affordable. 

It will also create up to one million square feet of office, retail and hospitality space, along with improvements to the York Railway Station and an enhanced National Railway Museum.

Located next to York station, York Central has the potential to generate up to 6,500 jobs and will help to grow the city’s future economy by 20%, by adding £1.1 billion Gross Value Added to the city.

The development will include extensive park land, public realm and green space, along with public squares that will connect it to the surrounding neighbourhoods and the adjacent York city centre.

Now it’s been announced that it is to be designed architects including global masterplan experts Allies and Morrison and renowned landscape specialists Grant Associates.

Allies and Morrison will continue to work with Joint Venture development partners McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate on the overall vision and design guide for the 45-hectare site, as well as a new Innovation Hub.  The site is being brought forward by majority landowners, Homes England and Network Rail in collaboration with key stakeholders, the City of York council and the National Railway Museum.  

Grant Associates, the pioneering international landscape practice – famous for Gardens by the Bay, the 54 hectares of Bay South in Singapore – will lead the landscape design of York Central, including the park, public realm and extensive green space, as well as future plans for the coal drops area of the site.

Cartwright Pickard is one of a group of architects working on the residential elements of the project, alongside the Leeds studio of the national practice Corstorphine & Wright for the Build to Rent and Haworth Tompkins on the affordable homes. 3D Reid have been selected for the hotel and Western Station entrance, while re-form landscape architecture, who have extensive experience of working in York, are set to work on Museum Square and public realm within the first phase of delivery.

Tom Gilman, managing director of McLaren Regeneration, says: “Following a comprehensive competitive process that included both local and international firms, we have carefully selected some of the world’s leading architects and design specialists to work with us and bring our ambitious vision for York Central to life. Key to our decision making was ensuring they all had a proven track record in delivering and working on large scale regeneration schemes, as well as demonstrable experience, knowledge and understanding of York and the surrounding area.

“Now, we are excited to get to work on our plans, with an outstanding architectural team, our partners and the local community, to deliver what will be a vibrant, highly sustainable place, with expansive green space, and public realm, new homes and a major new employment hub for northern England.”