McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate have been selected as the strategic developer by Homes England and Network Rail for their major brownfield scheme, York Central.   

The scheme could create up to 6,500 jobs and deliver over £1.1bn of Gross Value Added to the economy of York per annum. There are already £135m of infrastructure works underway to enable this major regional scheme to progress. These include over 3km of new roads, footpaths, cycleways and also include two new bridges over the East Coast Main Line.   

York Central will see an area of York city centre transformed from underutilised railway land into residential neighbourhoods, cultural spaces, public realm and a commercial quarter.  

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.”   

York Central is situated on a 45-acre site and will deliver up to 2,500 homes, 20% of which will be affordable and create up to 1 million sq ft of commercial space for offices, retail and leisure, as well as improvements to York Railway Station and an expanded and enhanced National Railway Museum.

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.”