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Smart growth could move city ‘up a league’ says York Vision report

20 March 2003

York could achieve sustainable growth beyond current planned levels and tackle its underlying problems of a lack of affordable housing, traffic congestion and social exclusion. With a healthy economy and low unemployment, the city comes out as a 'good average', when measured against other comparable British historic cities, but it could 'move up a league' and become an even greater European city.

This is the underlying message from A new vision for York, a discussion document intended to stimulate debate about the city's future. It was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on behalf of Without Walls, York's Local Strategic Partnership. The consultancy firm URBED talked to York residents and organisations over a period of six months before producing the report, which profiles York as it stands today and offers ideas on how it might develop in the future.

The authors recommend that the city embraces a strategy of 'Smart' growth: this would allow the local economy to develop while ensuring that all its citizens benefit from more affordable housing, better public transport and an increasing range of employment opportunities. York's green spaces would be protected and enhanced and better design standards would be required for new developments in the city. They note that York is fortunate in having substantial opportunities for development on brownfield sites, such as 'York Central' beside the railway station.

The report analyses information from a variety of sources and compares York with Bath, Chester, Exeter and Norwich. A complex picture emerges:

  • York is mainly known today as a tourism and shopping destination. But some assessments suggest that it is short on attractions and is not doing enough to fulfil its potential as the 'Gateway to Yorkshire' for tourism.
  • The city's 'Science City' initiative has been highly successful in providing an economic driver to replace the loss of manufacturing jobs.
  • But not all of York's citizens have benefited from the city's prosperity, with a fifth of the population still classed as living in poverty.
  • York has a justified reputation as a pioneer in certain aspects of environmental improvement, for example in providing dedicated cycle lanes, a pedestrianised city centre and Park and Ride facilities. However, York’s citizens would still consider better public transport, and a bus station, to be a top priority.

    • As a means to generate widespread discussion about the future of York, URBED suggests twenty-five outcomes that could be used as the basis for a new vision for York. To stimulate discussion some proposals are deliberately more contentious than others. The suggested outcomes include:

  • A significantly upgraded transport system including a bus station.
  • A new visitor attraction, possibly science-based.
  • A new medium-sized venue for the performing arts.
  • New college facilities on a new model, with more provision based in the community.
  • World Heritage status for the walled city.
  • An expanded evening economy and better nightlife.

    • Dr Nicholas Falk, the principal author of the report, said: "Our research found that while York has done well in many respects it has the potential to be an even greater European city. However, if this is to benefit the existing community, York needs to be pioneering ideas of 'Smart' growth in the UK - with sustainable solutions to housing and transport issues - as it has done in the past, for example with Park and Ride."

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