The process we've undertaken relating to the 'preferred access route' into the York Central development site:
- has included technical work and associated reports over a number of years (see timeline)
- considers the prevailing assumptions (modelling and otherwise) and conditions
- is relevant to the time of its preparation
- in some cases, has been superseded by physical site changes (e.g. construction of the Network Rail route operating centre), policy shifts or revised working assumptions
View a diagram of the historic options considered for York Central access.
Timeline of York Central access route selection
| Date | Name | Purpose | Access options considered | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2003 | York Central Transport report for Stage 2 Master plan. Further annexes in downloads. | Undertook modelling work and assessed approach for outline master planning work. | A, C, F | Informed master planning work by partnership. |
| March 2004 | York Central Planning Brief. | Set out a high level strategy for the sites development and servicing. | - | Approved by Members. |
| April 2005 | Development Control Local Plan Further annexes in downloads. | Identifies York central as a major mixed use development site and need for transport and access improvements. | - | Adopted for development control purposes. |
| November 2005 | York Central Transport Master plan Study (Faber Maunsell/ AECOM) Part 1, Part 2. Further annexes in downloads. | Recommends a series of highway and public transport interventions to service the York Central development site. | A, B, C, F | Considered by members at Executive Meeting. |
| January 2006 | Report to Executive committee – York Central Transport Master plan Study (CYC). | Reports the master plan to Members and asks them to note findings and endorse further work. | A, B, C, F | Further work undertaken to assess transport approach as part of update to 2004 planning brief. |
| November 2007 | York Northwest Issues and Options Report (CYC/ NLP). | Sought public views on development options for the York Central and British Sugar sites (known collectively as York Northwest), in order to produce an Area Action Plan (AAP) as an update to the 2004 planning brief, prompted by release of the British Sugar site. | A, B, (C, D), E, F | Public consultation on the report was undertaken. |
| May 2008 | York Northwest Issues and Options Consultation Feedback Report (CYC) | Reported the outcomes and findings of public consultation on the York Northwest Issues and Options Report. | A, B, (C, D), E, F | Members of the Local Plan Working Group noted the consultation findings and endorsed work on the next stage of the AAP (subsequently abandoned due to changing economic circumstances and planning regime). |
| October 2010 | York Northwest Transport Topic Paper (CYC). | Set out the findings of ongoing transport and access modelling work on the York Northwest area, undertaken to inform AAP. | A and B (modelling working assumption) | Work used to inform ongoing policy development and project work streams. |
| December 2011 | York Northwest Transport Master plan (CYC). | Informed by previous studies, set out a suite of works, measures and principles which any phased development approach would be expected to deliver across the York Northwest area. | A, C, E | Reported to Members of the Local Plan Working Group in December 2011 and March 2012. |
| June 2011 | York Northwest Master planning and Infrastructure Study (Halcrow). Further annexes in downloads. | Engineering feasibility assessment of all potential access options into the York Central site to take account of feasibility, buildability, risk, financial and network performance. (September 2011 and January 2012 addenda also relate) | A, B, C, D, E | Reported to Members of the Local Plan Working Group in December 2011 and March 2012. |
| December 2011 and March 2012 | Local Plan Working Group Update Reports on Transport and Access Approach for York central and British Sugar (CYC) December 2011, March 2012. | Reported the findings of Master planning and Infrastructure Study and wider work, sought member endorsement for next steps | A, B, C, D, E | Members endorsed a development approach of providing an access route at B, C, D or E, and next steps to establish the preferred option. |
| January 2013 | York Northwest Master planning and Infrastructure Study Update (Halcrow). | Updated June 2011 study to have regard to planned operational rail expansion. | C, D | Ruled out option D due to planned operational rail change. |
| June 2013 | York Northwest Master planning and Infrastructure Study – Access Analysis (Halcrow) Part 1, Part 2. | Assessed the comparative performance of preferred access corridors B, C and E against a range of technical criteria to inform project workstreams and policy development. | B, C, E | Study concluded that option E was likely to perform most favourably when considered across technical assessment criteria. Findings used to inform ongoing policy development and project workstreams. |
| September 2014 | Publication Draft Local Plan York Central Extract 2014. | Set out a draft approach to strategic development across the district to 2030, including approach to allocation and mixed-use development at York Central. Proposals plan included indicative location of preferred access option E. | E | Publication draft Local Plan was not submitted and further policy development work has been ongoing since. |
| November 2015 | Air Quality Impact Assessment (CYC). Further annexes in downloads. | Undertook more detailed modelling and analysis of air quality impacts across access options, updating June 2013 study. | C/D, E | Study confirmed that option E was likely to perform most favourably in terms of Air Quality Impacts. |
| March 2016 | West Yorkshire Transport Fund Gateway 1 Report 2016. Further annexes in downloads. | Presents outline business case for investment by West Yorkshire Transport Fund in site access and accessibility improvements at York Central | E |
Approved by investment committee to proceed to Gateway 2. |
| November 2017 | CYC Executive - York Central Preferred Access Route and Preparation for Planning | York Central Partnership consulted on access options in summer 2017. See the York Central Partnership website for further information including the full Access Consultation Feedback report. | Executive agreed the York Central Partnership recommendation that a western access option be developed for inclusion in the York Central master plan and to undertake further design and legal work to ensure that the final alignment will seek to mitigate the effects of such a route on the Millennium Green and to control costs to ensure deliverability. | |
| August 2018 | York Central Update - Western Access | York Central Partnership worked with the Millennium Green Trust on the detailed design and delivery of the western access scheme in summer 2018. | Annex 3 Plan of Western Access junction and spine road alignment | Executive agreed the final alignment of the Western access route to York Central and a package of land transfers and compensation between the council and the Millennium Green Trust. |
York Central access route selection
The process to 2015 found that an access point at 'corridor E' represented the favoured development approach. These findings were used to inform the initial work on master planning and planning framework, funding submissions (including West Yorkshire Transport Funding for access delivery) and delivery strategy. This was reflected in the December 2015 Executive Committee report, and in the public consultation in January 2016.
The July 2016 Executive Committee report presented the consultation feedback and noted concerns raised by respondents regarding access and traffic congestion. Strong concerns were raised in particular by residents about the negative impact of the access proposals on the Holgate area, and Leeman Road and Salisbury Road area.
In November 2016 Executive Committee resolved to undertake further consultation on the access route for York Central as part of a future York Central planning strategy, with engagement across the city in relation to the access route, including particular emphasis on those residents potentially affected.
York Central Partnership undertook a public consultation on access options between 23 August to 13 September 2017. See the York Central Partnership website for further information including the full Access Consultation Feedback report.
In November 2017 Executive Committee agreed the York Central Partnership recommendation that a western access option be developed for inclusion in the York Central master plan. They also agreed to undertake further design and legal work to ensure that the final design will seek to mitigate the effects of such a route on the Millennium Green, and to control costs to ensure deliverability (see recommendations).
During the summer of 2018 York Central Partnership worked with the Millennium Green Trust on the detailed design and delivery of the western access scheme. This included local community engagement undertaken by Millennium Green Trust in July 2018 and an Executive report 30 August 2018. The outline planning application (planning reference number 18/01884/OUTM) was approved by Planning Committee on 25 March 2019 subject to a Section 106 Agreement and referral to the Secretary of State. Reserved matters applications will follow later in 2019.