The development of York Central has moved a step closer with the appointment by Network Rail and Homes England of McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate as the strategic developer of the major brownfield scheme.

York Central is a 45-acre site and is one of the UK’s largest city-centre regeneration schemes that will provide up to 2,500 homes up to 1 million sq. ft. of commercial space for offices, retail and leisure. It includes improvements to York Railway Station, an upgraded National Railway Museum, and a network of public squares linking to surrounding neighbourhoods.

The development will be through a partnership between Network Rail, Homes England, the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum, and has the potential to create up to 6,500 jobs and deliver over £1.1 billion of Gross Value Added to York’s economy each year.

Already underway are £135m of infrastructure works including over 3 km of new roads, footpaths, cycleways and two new bridges over the East Coast Main Line. Further information about the York Central project can be found online at www.yorkcentral.info.

York Central is not the first development for the McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate partnership, as it has already delivered other major mixed use regeneration schemes and neighbourhoods including Durhamgate in Newton Aycliffe and Upper Brook Street in Manchester.

Peter Denton, Chief Executive at Homes England said: “This is a major milestone in the important regeneration of York Central. Over the last few years, Homes England and Network Rail have worked closely with City of York Council to create a vision and masterplan, and have invested in the critical infrastructure to make this a reality. It will now be delivered at pace through our chosen development partner for long term delivery and stewardship”.

Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail said: “This is a strategic step forward in the regeneration of over 110 acres of underused railway land to deliver significant investment and social value for the City and region. York Central puts infrastructure at the heart of a new residential, commercial, and cultural neighbourhood. The project demonstrates the pivotal role Network Rail Property can play in unlocking sites which deliver growth, jobs and housing.”

John Gatley, chief executive of McLaren Property, said: “We are proud to have been selected to deliver York Central – the most significant regeneration scheme in the north of England. McLaren have deep roots in Yorkshire, and we are committed to working with local stakeholders to enhance the great city of York.”

Allan Cook, founder of Arlington Real Estate, said “Having spent the last 15 years focussing on the delivery of large scale mixed use development schemes in the North of England we have witnessed first-hand the positive benefits, to both communities and the local economy, of large scale regeneration. We are delighted to have been given the opportunity, alongside our partners McLaren Property, to be able to write the next chapter in the story of this great historic city.”