Member Article

1300 home development for York Sugar factory site

Former British Sugar industrial site in the Acomb area of York is to be redeveloped to create just under 1300 residential properties.

The area, which also incorporates the the Manor School site, will contain a community hub, incorporating health, education, leisure and community facilities to meet local needs and 1,000 to 1,500 sq m gross floorspace for retail, services and food and drink uses, including local convenience retail of between 200 and 600 sq m.

City of York Council has consulted for a number of years on the future development of the site and has identified it in its Draft Local Plan for a residential-led development, which will deliver much-needed family homes.

David Mills, Head of Group Property at Associated British Foods (ABF), which owns British Sugar, said the site provides a huge opportunity for local people:

“The draft options we will be presenting include a range of new homes, transport improvements and more than 12 hectares of new public open space, which is equivalent to the size of Rowntree Park.

“We want to talk to local people to ensure that development brings this brownfield site back into beneficial use, delivering a high quality, sustainable development.

“We are particularly keen to know what types of leisure space and facilities are preferred for this area. The ambition is to make this an attractive place where people will enjoy living and visiting, of which the community can be proud.”

A Community Forum, made up of local stakeholders and residents acting as liaisons between the developer and the local community, met last week to discuss the site. This Forum, along with the public exhibitions, will ensure that local people have the opportunity to be actively involved in the masterplanning process.

Cllr James Alexander, Labour Leader of City of York Council, said: “We welcome the progression of this key site in York and are very supportive of the community events. We encourage residents and businesses to attend and feedback their views.

“We are keen to see how the landowners and their agents can create community facilities, as well as details of their approach to sustainability issues and how these proposals will integrate into the surrounding community areas, which are all vital to ensuring any new developments in this area can prosper.

“Even though they are in the early stages of bringing this site forward for regeneration, the site has huge potential and we are looking forwards to working with the landowners Associated British Foods throughout this process and helping to kick-start another key site in York for potential redevelopment for future homes and businesses.

“We are committed to getting York building and bringing more opportunities for employment and growth for our city.”

British Sugar is inviting local residents to attend public exhibitions to discuss proposals for the redevelopment.

The exhibitions will be held at the former Manor School site, Low Poppleton Lane, York, YO26 6BB between 3pm and 7pm on Thursday 28 November and between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 30 November. Site tours will also be offered to those attending the Saturday event. Information on the redevelopment can be found here.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .