New shops, restaurants and flats are coming to York soon as the first stage of the Coney Street redevelopment opens up the riverside.
New details were released today about the first stage of the work.
York-based Helmsley Group, which is behind the Coney Street Riverside masterplan, says a new area called St Martins Yard will be created.
The name comes from the nearby St Martin le Grand church.
Work to develop St Martins Yard will start later this year. It will see a new passageway created where the old JD Sports shop is now, linking Coney Street to the riverside.
That’s at the St Helen’s Square end of the street.
It will include three new ground floor retail units and seven riverside apartments.
The passageway will also allow new cafés and restaurants to move in, with outdoor seating near the river.
Helmsley Group has already said that a “high-end” well-known restaurant wants to move in here after Revolution moves out.
Numbers 3 to 7 Coney Street – home to the former JD Sports and Lush shops, and the still trading Mango – “will be sensitivity regenerated to reflect their historic character, with retail space primarily aimed at independent businesses,” Helmsley Group says.
Max Reeves, development director at the company, said: “Perfectly positioned between the tranquil riverside and York’s bustling city centre, St Martins Yard will provide a quality environment and unmatched location and opportunity for leisure and retail operators.
“A select number of commercial units are available to capitalise on one of the highest footfall areas in York and to help meet the current demand, which is far outstripping supply in the city centre, and we have already received high levels of interest.
“The residences at St Martins Yard will create a benchmark for York city centre living. With south facing views over the river to one elevation and superb views of York Minster to the other, this unique setting provides a stunning location.”
Coney Street Riverside will be undertaken in three phases and take several years to complete.
It includes new and redeveloped shops, more public spaces, flats above shops and student accommodation.
Max said: ““We are confident this development will draw and captivate both locals and tourists from across the globe.”
The new name and brand of St Martins Yard was developed by consultancy DS Emotion.