York Central has secured approval for detailed planning for its initial phase, a major milestone in one of the UK’s city centre regeneration initiatives. City of York Council has approved plans for the first homes, commercial spaces, extensive parkland and public realm, alongside a new western entrance to York railway station.
Grant Associates has played a significant role in shaping the landscape and public realm strategy for the £2 billion York Central regeneration, following its appointment by McLaren Regeneration in 2025 after a competitive design process. The practice has worked closely with McLaren and a multidisciplinary team led by masterplanners Allies and Morrison.
Set on a 45-hectare brownfield site beside York railway station, York Central is one of the UK’s most significant city-centre regeneration projects. The development will create a new mixed-use quarter equivalent to more than 40% of the size of York’s historic city centre, with at least 2,500 homes, more than one million sq ft of commercial space and an estimated 6,500 jobs.
The approved first phase will deliver 1,014 mixed-tenure homes, including 20% affordable housing, alongside a 213-bedroom hotel, a 99,190 sq ft innovation hub and 67,447 sq ft of retail and leisure space.
Landscape and green infrastructure provide the framework for the new quarter. A network of parkland, civic spaces, streets and courtyards will create a sequence of distinctive places, opening up new routes between York railway station, the National Railway Museum and the wider city.
“This approval is an exciting milestone for York Central and its future landscape vison of fostering a new community supported by a nature rich public realm . Central Park and Coal Drops Square will be at the heart of this remarkable site and new community, creating generous inclusive and active public spaces that connect people with the city, its railway heritage and each other.”
Peter Chmiel, Director at Grant Associates,
Central Park and Coal Drops Square are two defining elements of this landscape-led approach.
Central Park will create a major new green space through the development, bringing nature into the heart of York Central and providing opportunities for recreation, play and everyday use. As a key piece of green and blue infrastructure, the park will support biodiversity and climate resilience while creating attractive walking and cycling connections across the site.
Coal Drops Square will create a new civic space at the western entrance to York railway station, transforming what has historically been the rear of the station into a new frontage and gateway for York Central. Generous planting and stepped terraces will frame flexible spaces for meeting, socialising and events, while creating a stronger pedestrian link to the National Railway Museum.
Drawing on the site’s distinctive railway heritage, Grant Associates’ landscape strategy reimagines York Central as a journey through a series of characterful public spaces, bringing the site’s industrial legacy together with nature to create a greener, more welcoming and inclusive part of York.
Images: Courtesy of Grant Associates
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