Coney Street: final piece of masterplan APPROVED by council

Bosses at the York-based Helmsley Group have spoken of their delight as the “once-in-a-lifetime” masterplan to open the area up to the riverside takes a step forward, with work planned to start in summer 2025.

A City of York Council planning committee approved the final part of the scheme last night (Thursday, November 28) which will see numbers 3 to 7 Coney Street developed and a new snickelway created to the riverside.

It followed approval for the wider scheme being given the go ahead by a planning committee last month.

The plan that was approved last night will see the land that is currently used as bin storage behind the units developed.

How the new Coney Street riverside area could look (Image: Supplied) It will also introduce seven new residential apartments into the currently unused upper floors of the units – including JD Sports, the former Lush site and Mango – which the council previously said was a “fantastic use of unused space”.

Existing shopfronts of the listed buildings will be “sensitivity regenerated to reflect their historic character and the new ground floor retail space will be aimed at independent businesses”, a Helmsley Group spokesperson said.

The new snickelway will be created by demolishing the unit that, until earlier this month, housed Lush, before the cosmetics store moved to its new site opposite Boots in the former Mappin & Webb building.

'We can’t wait to begin bringing our vision to life,' say developers

Max Reeves, development director at the Helmsley Group, said the plan will breathe new life to the area.

“This approval forms the final piece of our much-anticipated Coney Street Riverside masterplan and we can’t wait to begin bringing our vision to life,” he said.

Max Reeves, development director at the Helmsley Group (Image: Harry Archer)

“As well as creating a welcoming and accessible offer for both locals and visitors to enjoy, bringing underused upper floors back into use is also a key aspiration across the Coney Street riverside regeneration and our plans will introduce much-needed housing within the city centre.

"This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to honour an area that has played such an important role in York’s history and sensitively take the necessary strides required to secure its long-term future.”

Recommended reading:

• ‘Get this approved’: Coney Street traders back major plans to transform area
• ‘It’s what York needs’: Coney Street masterplan that could transform the city
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As The Press reported, the application was 'called in' for a planning committee decision by Guildhall ward councillor Rachel Melly.

“This complex proposal for the redevelopment of part of Coney Street could have impacts on accessibility and York’s heritage,” Cllr Melly said.

“I’ve asked for the application to be considered in a public forum by the planning committee because of the public interest in the future of our city’s street scene.”

Planning documents state that officers “considered the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of the listed buildings and putting them to a viable use consistent with their conservation”.

The documents also note the “positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality”.