Coney Street: York riverside redevelopment scheme amended with student accommodation numbers cut

Helmsley’s masterplan includes the creation of 250,000 sq ft of mixed-use retail, leisure, commercial and residential space, a riverside walkway and the establishment of significant green and accessible public realm, both on the waterfront itself and also through the creation of new access routes between Coney Street and the River Ouse.

The revised plans have been submitted following collaborative discussions with City of York Council and feedback from the public.

A new design and access submitted to council planning officers states revisions to building designs means the number of student units will reduce from 407 to 385 while a new riverside public square has been added to the proposals.

The student accommodation will have around twice the amount of communal space as other recent schemes approved in York, including a shared lounge on each floor, a cinema room, gym, yoga studio, quiet study rooms, and café space.

The wider changes also include widening a public riverside walkway past restaurants with outdoor seating, while new shop frontages are planned.

Planned shop spaces now include a range of unit sizes able to support both independent retailers and large high street names.

Some of the changes following a public accessibility workshop consultation event held in May where concerns were raised about some aspects of the original designs.

Max Reeves, development director at Helmsley Group, said: “Having worked closely with key stakeholders in York over the past few months, we have been heartened by the positive response we have had to our plans for Coney Street Riverside.

"These include the public benefits of bringing underutilised upper floors of retail units back into use, a long-held ambition in York, whilst also creating world class public realm fit for this prime location on York’s riverfront.

“We have consulted extensively across the city with heritage bodies, Council planners, York residents, accessibility groups and beyond.

"We’d encourage everyone to look at our proposals, which are publicly available on the City of York Council planning portal and our own dedicated Coney Street Riverside website, to discover more about the positive transformation we are looking to provide on both the riverfront and Coney Street itself.”

Mr Reeves added: “As a long-established York business, we are committed to creating a truly mixed-use, vibrant development that not only sustainably redevelops historic Coney Street into the social heart of York, but creates a positive legacy through first class public spaces of international standing, and architecture which ensures that the history and heritage of the area is not just recognised, but honoured and protected.

“We believe the improvements we have put forward positively build on our long-held ambition to reconnect Coney Street with its riverfront, improving connectivity and accessibility within central York alongside a welcoming, family friendly offer and much-needed accommodation to meet student demand within the city.”