The National Railway Museum has submitted plans for its Central Hall Scheme

The application sees the National Railway Museum’s plan for a new Central Hall which will create a cultural heart for York Central.

The Reserved Matters planning submission has seen a comprehensive public consultation featuring an in-person exhibit at the museum alongside a virtual consultation. All feedback has been considered by the museum’s project team and has supported the unfolding designs for Central Hall.

Central Hall will bring a new welcome space and gallery between the Great Hall and Station Hall and will bring together the museum buildings as an integral part of the museum’s Vision 2025, an ongoing five-year project to transform its offer and become the World’s Railway Museum. The exciting initiative will also see a new Wonderlab which will bring inspiration to children to think like engineers using experience, interactivity and play.

Central Hall’s gallery will exhibit the very latest innovation in rail technology and will include a cafe overlooking the new museum square, shop, flexible event space plus new visitor amenities, including a Changing Places facility.

At the very heart of the Central Hall plans is sustainability with environmentally friendly design principles and materials in keeping with York’s abundant railway history and the surrounding area.

Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum, said: “We are very pleased to reach this milestone and submit the planning application. Central Hall is a major part of the wider Vision 2025 strategy which will not only improve our offer, but also help us to inspire the next generation of engineers.

“We would like to thank everyone who came along to our engagement sessions and to those who viewed the exhibition and contributed feedback online—it’s helping us to ensure that our plans for Central Hall reflect what our visitors and community wants us to be now and in the future. We are looking forward to continuing these relationships as the scheme progresses”.

The Central Hall plans are an early step in the delivery of York Central, the 45-hectare regeneration site and is in association with Network Rail, Homes England, City of York Council and the National Railway Museum. The transformation of the site is expected to complete by 2025 in time to celebrate the museum’s 50th anniversary.

Award-winning architecture practice Feilden Fowles is heading the design team for Central Hall, following winning an international design competition in 2020.