Historic city stands at crossroads

YORK is at a crossroads in its history and needs to tackle the major threats to its future prosperity which have crept up on the city over recent decades, council bosses say.

A panel of experts led by Prof Alan Simpson has been examining how the community is likely to measure up to the challenges facing it over the next 20 to 30 years.

The results, contained in the newly published York Economic Vision, intended as a guiding light for development, will be discussed by council leaders on October 19.

Council chiefs have warned that while many of Prof Simpson’s findings are very positive that there is no room for complacency.

Director of City Strategy Bill Woolley explained: “There are an unprecedented number of major projects under way or in the pipeline in York, which will shape the city for generations to come.

“The City is likely to grow and change significantly in the forthcoming years, and it is important to ensure that new developments leave a positive legacy in terms of both economic impact and high standards of design.” Milestones included the York University expansion, major city centre schemes such as Hungate and Castle Piccadilly, and the York Central and York North West developments.

The Area Action Plan for the City Centre will seek to regenerate gateway streets and enhance York’s economic competitiveness by improving access, Mr Woolley added.

However, the Economic Vision is not all good news – and the city will have to watch its back amid growing competition from smart new city centre investments in places such as Hull, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle and York’s own “out of town locations”.

Mr Woolley continued: “The Economic Vision acknowledges that York is an attractive place to live, to study, and to work and says that this has, in part, fuelled recent growth.

“However, it also says that it has a constrained transport infrastructure network, constricted movement, street clutter and disorder, lack of quality spaces and green infrastructure, and it largely turns its back on its two rivers.

“Fractured connections limit the effectiveness of the undoubted city assets,including the railway station – the main city gateway – and the University of York.

“This has occurred slowly, almost imperceptibly, over decades and this study makes a strong economic and cultural case for this change to be arrested now.”

His report to the council’s executive reveals the main problem identified by local traders has been public access to the city centre amid fears many locals are staying away.

This is despite a diverse range of activities going on in the historic heart of York, including some of the most attractive small, niche shops in the country, the report says.

New development proposals at Castle Piccadilly and Hungate will bring extra retail and commercial floor space into the City Centre.

But still more investment was needed to encourage a greater proportion of the city’s residents to spend time in their city, the report added.

The York Economic Vision includes dozens of other key recommendations and as well as wider strategic opportunities to develop a long term vision.

But the authors recognise that further work will be required to be undertaken by York Council, working in partnership with others, to deliver the vision.

Next steps will include having the study considered in detail by the group drawing up the Local Development Framework, which will replace the York Local Plan.

Following this, it is likely that some of the ideas will be presented to the wider public audience.