More e-charging points at council car parks and supporting the redevelopment of the area around York Castle Museum and Clifford’s Tower are also among the council’s list of potential projects.
Council policy and strategy lead Claire Foale told councillors the proposals aimed to take advantage of the huge opportunities which the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s creation presented.
City of York Council leader Cllr Claire Douglas said the proposals represented the projects which were currently being considered as priorities and they would be subject to change.
It comes after the new Combined Authority was established which came with a Mayoral Investment Fund worth £540 million over 30 years and the power to borrow against it.
An artist’s impression of the York Central development (photo: gov.uk)
The fund is spread across York and North Yorkshire for areas such as housing, skills and transport.
The Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee heard officials planned to take the list of projects to the authority following its examination by councillors.
Assistant Director of Policy and Strategy Ms Foale said the draft pipeline of projects included a number of quick win projects some of which were already being implemented.
They include scoping for the Castle Gateway Masterplan, a long-running project to regenerate the area between the River Ouse and River Foss hampered by a lack of funding.
The draft pipeline also proposes securing funding for projects which could be delivered within a year as part of the council’s wider plans for the city centre.
Increasing e-charging points at council car parks and the Askham Bar park and ride is also included in the proposals for projects which could be quickly achieved.
Seeking funding for a study to look at land which could be used to attract investment is also mentioned, with the digital and creative industries offered as examples.
The development of a green skills village was also proposed and councillors heard it would likely be a construction site where trainees could practice building practically.
The site would aim to provide workers with skills to meet the expected rise in demand for future retrofitting and more building according to green standards.
Cultural Passports for secondary school age children allowing them access to free opportunities across North Yorkshire are also proposed.
It would include day trips for schools in areas of need.
Longer term projects floated by the draft pipeline include funding the completion of the switch over to LED street lights and climate change infrastructure adaptations to cope with extreme heat.
Affordable housing schemes including at the York Central site and boosting the supply of one-bed flats to tackle homelessness are also proposed.
Cllr Douglas told councillors that the immediate priority would be to establish a relationship with Homes England and actual developments would take much longer.
The draft pipeline also proposes asking the Combined Authority to help fund plans for a new railway station at Haxby.
Councillors heard the full costs of building the station were yet to be worked out.
Cllr Douglas said the Combined Authority could also be asked to help boost rail services including with a half-hour service between Scarborough and York.
Road upgrades proposed as part of the pipeline include the first two dualling stages of the A1237.
The first stage covers the road’s dualling from the A19 to Hopgrove with the second running up to the A59 roundabout.
Upgrades to the A64 at the A19 and Fulford junction were also floated in the Draft Pipeline.
The use of funding to support York’s bid for UNESCO world heritage status is also proposed.
Cllr Douglas said the Pipeline would evolve as the Combined Authority begins to get access to other sources of funding from the Government and private sector over time.
The council leader said: “We shouldn’t forget that this is based on what we know about the potential opportunities at this moment in time.”
