The application to construct a six-storey, 195,000 sq ft
government hub, put forward by partners the Government Property
Agency (GPA), Homes England and Network Rail, was approved by the
City of York Council Planning Committee.
Earmarked for completion in 2027/2028, the hub will be home to up
to 2,600 civil servants. Building features include solar panels,
air source heat pumps and a green roof, as well as 230 cycle
spaces and a planted pedestrian area.
The development includes 135,000 sq ft of flexible office space,
with ground floor retail and ancillary space.
The hub is the first part of York Central - a major initiative to
redevelop a substantial area of land close to York city centre
and boost the regional economy.
Mark Bourgeois, the GPA's CEO, said:
We are delighted to achieve planning permission to develop this
new facility, which will deliver a modern, inspirational and
energy-efficient office development for up to 2,600 civil
servants.
The new hub will help to accelerate the York Central development,
stimulate economic growth and investment in the North of England
as well as supporting the transformation of the Civil Service.
It's another milestone for us at the Government Property Agency
to deliver smart, modern, sustainable and digitally connected
workplaces that focus on improving productivity and wellbeing.
York Central is one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK,
and is located next to the city's railway station. The scheme is
being brought forward by a collaborative partnership between
Homes England, Network Rail, the City of York Council and the
National Railway Museum. It will be developed by private sector
partners McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate.
There has been extensive public consultation prior to the
submission of the York Central government hub application.
Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail, added:
Creating high quality workspace is fundamental to the future
success of York Central. Having attracted the GPA, it is great to
have reached this important planning milestone ahead of seeing a
new workforce bring this regeneration scheme to life.
