Coney Street masterplan by Helmsley Group approved

A director at the Helmsley Group said he was “delighted” that the plans had been given the go ahead at a planning committee on Thursday (October 24), two years after they were first submitted.

Under the plans, the building that houses Boots would be demolished and a new street would be created linking to the riverfront area called Waterloo Place.

The backs of existing retail units Next and WH Smith would also be removed for a new riverside walkway to be created.

A six-storey building would be built, fronting on to the River Ouse, with businesses on the ground floor and student accommodation on the upper floors.

How the new building in Waterloo Place could look (Image: Supplied) The purpose-built student accommodation would contain 358 bedrooms.

It would also include communal areas like common rooms, lounges, a cinema room, gym, yoga studio, quiet study rooms and café space.

Another application for the site is due to be heard next month which includes plans for general residential accommodation, the meeting was told.

After approval was given, Max Reeves, director of developments at the Helmsley Group, said the aim is for work to start on the site in early 2026.

In the meantime, he said, existing tenants affected by the work must be relocated.

On the reaction from these tenants, he said: “Generally, it’s been positive,” adding that the plans did not come “out of the blue” for them.

Andrew Lowson, executive director at York BID, and Flick Williams, a disability rights activist, spoke at the meeting in favour of the Helmsley Group’s plans.

How Coney Street could look after the plans were approved (Image: Supplied) Mr Lowson questioned what the “plan b” would be to improve the area if the application was not approved.

“York has not benefited from any levelling up funding and it’s unlikely that there’ll be much public finance for [regeneration] in the foreseeable future,” he said.

“For this reason, we are lucky to have a privately financed project that will significantly enhance our public realm.”

Ms Williams praised the Helmsley Group’s engagement to ensure that the site was accessible, describing the application as a “breath of fresh air”.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, leader of the York Liberal Democrats who voted against the plans, noted that the application did not include affordable housing.

On this, Mr Reeves said: “It’s not a lack of desire, I’d say, from the council to push for affordability: it’s us, we need to make sure we’re putting forward a scheme that is deliverable."

Concerns raised over students moving into site in pedestrianised zone

Concerns were raised in the meeting about students moving into the accommodation given that Coney Street is pedestrianised during the day.

This could lead to groups trying to move in at the same time after being dropped by car and clogging up the city centre as a result, councillors warned.

Cllr Tony Fisher, who voted in favour of the plans, said end of term and start of term arrangements should be considered, as is the case for other student accommodation sites in the city, to minimise disruption.

Simon Pratt, from SCP transport consultants who advised the Helmsley Group on the plans, said there would be a condition set to work with a management plan.

He suggested moving in days could be staggered over a number of weeks.

Mr Pratt added that “off-site” locations could be used for students to drop off heavy baggage which would be brought in by an operator, noting that the site would be managed 24 hours a day by a private company.

Coney Street as it currently is (Image: Dylan Connell) But councillors questioned where this site would be.

Cllr Ayre also asked when this would happen.

“You’re going to have the best part of two hours an evening to get 358 students in,” he said.

Mr Pratt said the arrivals could be brought in first thing on a morning while the street is open to cars, adding that students would have to be made aware of this.

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Cllr Rachel Melly said she “did have concerns” about the number of students that could be moving in at the same time.

But, the Labour councillor said, it was “not practical” for accommodation staff to manage how people moved in as this could happen using nearby streets like Lendal or High Ousegate, meaning it would be difficult for them to monitor.

Mr Reeves, speaking after the meeting, said this was one of the issues with having a city centre site.

“We’ll be working closely with York and the relevant bodies to minimise disruption,” he said.

Cllr Melly, who voted in favour of the plans, said it is “a suitable location for student housing and wouldn’t be a suitable location for any other dwelling”.

How the Coney Street riverside area currently looks (Image: Dylan Connell) She said that other applications for flats in the area had been turned down because it is “very, very noisy at night”, adding that student housing was the "obvious solution" to how the space could be brought back into use.

But Cllr Ayre disagreed, saying that the city should be “pushing for mixed communities”.

“The suggestion that students can put up with 2am revellers but residents can’t isn’t an argument that we should be using, we should have mixed communities – and we should have a planning system to ensure that students and residents are living hand in hand,” he said.

Cllr Conrad Whitcroft, who voted in favour of the plans, called for life buoys or life rings to be installed along the river so people could be helped if they fell into the water.

The officers said they would be "mindful" of this when looking at the landscape design.

Rob Miller, from brown + company, the architects behind the plans, said railings along the river would adhere to the legal limit, as would furniture like planters on the river’s edge.

He added that furniture would not be placed near the railings.