The final part of the Coney Street Riverside project, which would see a row of York shops redeveloped, goes before planners this week.
And City of York Council officers are recommending the scheme gets the go-ahead.
Under the plans for 3-7 Coney Street, put forward by the Helmsley Group, a new snickelway would be created to connect the street to a riverside walk.
This would be achieved by demolishing part of number 5 – that’s the shop which was home to Lush before it moved into bigger premises nearby.
The creation of the snickelway would create room for restaurants and cafés with external seating, “creating a public realm of national standing,” say the developers. At the moment, the area behind the shops is an unsightly home for bins.
Extensions to the roofs would create an additional storey above the shops, where apartments would be created for city centre living.
The plans drew a range of responses, including support from the York High Street Forum chair Phil Pinder.
The Guildhall Planning Panel noted that “all the proposed units are restaurants/bars. Perhaps the units on the passageway could be better allocated for shop use.”
In their report, council planning officers said any harm caused by the works would be outweighed by benefits, including turning the upper floors into homes, and improvements to the appearance of the buildings.
In addition, “there will be the economic benefits of new restaurant uses in an attractive location that the public can enjoy and there is also improved access to the riverside and improvements to the public realm that will make a significant contribution to the amenities of the conservation area”.
If planning committee members give the scheme the green light on Thursday, work is expected to start in summer 2025.
The recommendation follows recent approval from City of York Council for the development of 19-33 Coney Street and 39 Coney Street to 2 Spurriergate, which saw members vote both the masterplan planning application and a separate listed building application through with overwhelming majorities.
Overall, the Coney Street Riverside masterplan seeks to create 250,000 sq ft of mixed-use retail, leisure, commercial, residential and student space, alongside extensive public realm.
Max Reeves, development director at the Helmsley Group, said: “A recommendation for approval brings us a step closer to securing the final piece of our much anticipated Coney Street Riverside masterplan.
“Our plans would realise a 50-year ambition to reconnect Coney Street with its riverfront and honour the area’s rich heritage while sensitively taking the necessary strides required to secure its long-term future.
“As well as creating a welcoming, family friendly offer through the realisation of these plans, we’re also seeking to introduce much-needed housing within the city centre.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvigorate a much-loved but sadly under-appreciated area of the city centre, and one that has played such an important role in York’s history to date.”
For more information on Coney Street Riverside, click here.