With funding from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, City of York Council and its partners will reimagine the city centre and develop a ‘city centre spatial plan’ (known as ‘Reimagining York Streets, to tell a new story about the city centre’).
The plan will identify investment opportunities, development and improvements and will better connect the city centre with change taking place in different locations, such as Coney Street, York Central and the Minster Neighbourhood Plan.
Reimagining York Streets will align with the council’s Our City Centre Vision which describes an ambitious future for the city centre.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
“York’s city centre is the heart of our region’s economy, culture, and heritage.
“I was pleased to support the Reimagining York Streets plan through the Mayoral Investment Fund, investing in the future and ensuring our city centre remains a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving space for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
“By working together with the community, we can shape a city centre that is not only beautiful and welcoming but also future-ready.”
Councillor Pete Kilbane, Deputy Leader of City of York Council and Executive Member for Economy and Culture said:
“We are incredibly proud of our city centre which is already recognised the world over, bucking trends across the country with more visitors and higher shop occupancy than the national and regional average.
“York’s strong and vibrant independent business sector is at the heart of our local economy and this, together with the outstanding festivals and events and beautiful built heritage make the city centre a unique, and much loved, national treasure.
“We are determined to make the city centre the best place it can be for residents and businesses as well as the millions of visitors who are welcomed here every year.
“This new plan, Reimagining York’s Streets, aims to bring economic benefits which will benefit everyone across the city with more skilled jobs, investment, travel and leisure opportunities.
“In the coming months we will start in-depth engagement with residents, businesses and visitors to make sure the city centre is an even better place we can all be proud of, and we want to hear as many voices as possible.”
Mayoral Investment Fund
In October 2024, at a York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority meeting, £430k funding from the Mayoral Investment Fund was approved to develop a public realm improvement strategy for city centre public spaces, delivery strategy and identified pipeline of capital regeneration projects.
The council says an officer delegated decision has been made which will start work on developing this strategy. This will include a citywide engagement process to hear from a range of voices as to what they want from the public spaces in York city centre.
City of York Council will make further announcements in the coming months, including details of how everyone can have their say and help shape this plan.
Published on Wednesday 2 April 2025