York Central – Planning, Ecology, Architecture and Landscape Design
- Location: York, UK
- Client: Homes England; Network Rail
- Partners: HTA; Barton Howe Associates
- Year: Ongoing
- Sector: Environment |
York Central is one of the largest city-centre development opportunities in the North of England. It looks to deliver up to 2,500 homes and 112,000m² of commercial floor space in a world-class location on brownfield land, directly adjacent to York Railway Station. The site is critical for the city’s Local Plan and has the potential to generate up to £1.1bn worth of growth for York and its surrounding areas. The site will also enable a £50m extension to the National Railway Museum and a new western entrance to York Railway Station, which links the city directly to London as well as the other Northern Powerhouse cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds.
What we are doing
Pell Frischmann’s involvement began in 2021 when appointed as the lead consultant for planning, ecology, architecture, and landscape design.
Working with partners HTA and Barton Howe Associates, we are providing a broad range of Planning Advice, architectural and landscape design, Masterplanning and Urban Design services.
Ecological technical services have been provided by our Environmental Consultancy Team, including the review of existing documents and identification of surveys requiring updates. These include:
- Extended Phase 1 Habitat Surveys;
- An Invasive Species Method Statement for treatment of non-native plants to detail approaches to Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam at the site;
- Bat surveys undertaken on several buildings prior to demolition to recommend appropriate demolition methods;
- A Great Crested Newt eDNA survey undertaken to advise on a safe working methodology to enable works to proceed.
Outcomes so far
The results of the many and varied surveys have been used to inform updates to the Landscape and Ecological Management Plan, ensuring the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in and around the development site.
We have also prepared a Landscaping strategy for the overall site including Museum Square and the proposed parks, as well as a strategy for discharge of planning conditions and a heritage review of historic buildings.
The early planning and design work provided by Pell Frischmann will be crucial in this ambitious plan to transform underused land into a vibrant residential and commercial space in the heart of one of the UK’s most historic cities.
