Coney Street: Helmsley Group on 2024 as plans approved

Max Reeves, development director at the York-based Helmsley Group which is behind the project, told The Press the “hard work doesn’t stop here”, with work on opening the street up to the riverside set to start in summer 2025.

As The Press reported, the plans were given the go ahead in 2024 – two years after they were first submitted.

Mr Reeves said 2024 was an “incredibly busy year” for the Helmsley Group.

Max Reeves, development director at the Helmsley Group (Image: Harry Archer) “A hugely significant milestone was our Coney Street Riverside masterplan being given planning permission,” he said.

“It has been a long road to get to this point and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us on the journey so far.

“It has also been a superb collaborative effort between many different groups, partners and stakeholders to ensure our proposals create a positive legacy for York for generations to come.”

Under the group’s plans, the building that houses Boots would be knocked down so a street can be created to the new riverside area, called Waterloo Place.

How Waterloo Place could look (Image: Supplied) There would be a six-storey building fronting onto the River Ouse, with businesses on the ground floor and student accommodation on the upper floods.

A council planning committee also approved plans to introduce seven new residential apartments into the currently unused upper floors units in Coney Street, including JD Sports, the former Lush site and Mango.

How Coney Street could look under the plans (Image: Supplied) Existing shopfronts of the listed buildings will be “sensitivity regenerated to reflect their historic character and the new ground floor retail space will be aimed at independent businesses”, a Helmsley Group spokesperson previously said.

A new snickelway to the riverside area will also be created by demolishing the unit that, until November, housed Lush, before the cosmetics store moved to its new site opposite Boots in the former Mappin & Webb building.

Project is a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’, says developer

Mr Reeves described the project as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.

“We are passionate about making Coney Street Riverside accessible to all and ensuring that the history and heritage of the area is not just recognised, but honoured and protected,” he said.

How the new riverside area could look (Image: Supplied) “The hard work doesn’t stop here, and we will continue to work with the York community to ensure successful delivery of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

“We have already started conversations with potential funders, investors and occupiers and these will continue at pace as we gear up to begin delivery of the project.”

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Elsewhere, Mr Reeves said it had been “another successful year across the business” for the Helmsley Group.

“Notable schemes we have delivered in York include the Gateway Two and Luna projects,” he said.

“Looking forward, we will continue with our strategy to convert disused upper floors for city living in York centre, ensuring currently wasted space is utilised effectively and contributes positively to the city’s economy and environment.”