Plans submitted for £17m transformation of North Yorkshire prison site
Plans have now been submitted for the transformation of the former Northallerton Prison site into a new retail, leisure and business development.
An application for full planning approval and listed building consent has been put forward by the Central Northallerton Development Company, a joint venture between Hambleton District Council and Wykeland Group, for the £17m Treadmills scheme.
The proposals have been refined to respond to feedback received during a public and stakeholder engagement process, including consultation with Hambleton District Council, North Yorkshire County Council’s Highways department, Historic England and Northallerton Town Council.
The plans for the mixed-use scheme set out a redevelopment of the 3.5-acre site, including a mix of retail units, offices, cafés and restaurants, a cinema, apartments and car parking. The focal point of the development will be a newly-created civic square and performance space.
The project includes the sensitive conversion of the site’s five remaining listed former prison buildings to form offices, apartments, shops, cafés and restaurants, as well as a heritage centre displaying memorabilia and archives from the jail.
A four-screen cinema will be added above three new restaurant units, and a new public square will be created in the courtyard formed by the former prison buildings and cinema.
The trio of retail units will be anchored by a new Lidl store, and the entire scheme will provide 127 parking spaces and 18 cycle spaces.
Summarising the scheme, the application said: “The development proposals will deliver major, transformational change to this area of Northallerton. This heritage-led scheme will redevelop a vacant local landmark and deliver a mix of uses, to the benefit of the local community and economy.”
The prison buildings to be incorporated within the development are the former Staff Tenement Block, Governor’s House, 1818 Female Wing, 1852 Female Wing and Link Building.
The application noted that the scheme will “renovate, repair and sensitively convert the original prison buildings and bring vacant heritage assets back into active and beneficial use”.
The plans will also create up to 200 jobs, in addition to employment during construction.
A key feature of the development will be the presence of technology incubator the Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI). C4DI will operate the offices and co-working spaces to support the development of startup and growing businesses in the digital tech sector.
C4Di at Treadmills will be based on the C4DI operation in Hull’s Fruit Market, which has seen continual growth since its launch in 2015.
Jonathan Stubbs, Wykeland development director, said: “A huge amount of work has gone into developing the vision for Treadmills and translating that into this detailed planning application.
“We’ve worked very closely with Historic England to ensure these plans pay full respect to the unique history and heritage of Northallerton Prison while also setting out exciting proposals for the future of this key strategic site.
“This scheme has been designed to extend and enhance the town centre and bring new vibrancy to Northallerton, including through a stronger and more dynamic evening economy. It will also create a new, high-quality destination and public space, strongly linked to the commercial heart of the town.
“Treadmills will provide new investment, facilities and jobs to complement existing provision in Northallerton and ensure the continued economic growth and prosperity of the town for years to come.”
Subject to planning consent, the Treadmills development is proposed to be delivered in phases, beginning with construction of the retail units to the south of the site, with work expected to begin in early 2019.
