£44m stadium and leisure development set to begin
Work will begin on York’s £44m community stadium in October, developers have announced, after a legal challenge from rival cinema chain Vue was fought off.
Contractors will move onto the site in Monks Cross in the autumn, with construction expected to take 16 months.
The build timeline will be presented to councillors at a meeting of the executive next week on Thursday 27 July.
In January a legal challenge by rival Vue Cinemas was rejected by the High Court, which opposed the development because it included a 13-screen IMAX screen cinema. The Vue has a 12-screen cinema at Clifton Moor.
The development includes an 8,000 seat stadium which will be home to York City Football Club and York City Knights Rugby League Club.
It also includes five restaurants and three retail units. New leisure facilities including a pool, gym, dance studio and climbing facilities are also planned.
NHS outpatient services will be offered on-site from a community hub, subject to board approval, and there will be a new library and a York Against Cancer retail unit.
The new stadium, leisure facilities and the community hub will all open in 2019 along with the new cinema and commercial units.
Councillor David Carr, leader of City of York Council, said:“The stadium will be an important facility to the city and its communities, especially in terms of health and wellbeing, education and leisure.
“We will continue to work with the clubs, developer and organisations involved to make it successful and economically sustainable asset.”
Councillor Nigel Ayre, executive councillor with responsibility for the stadium, said: “The community stadium project is about to take a major step forward with building work starting in just a few months.
“Since the last major update there have been several issues to contend with, not least a general election, worries about the impact of Brexit and a failed legal challenge.
“Despite this, we’ve continued to make steady progress and now we have a good idea of how long it will take to complete the build.”
Jason McGill, York City FC chairman, said: “This is exciting news for York City supporters and the city’s sporting future.
“I am extremely grateful to the city council, and other associated parties, for their hard work and patience in moving this matter forward.
“If things go according to plan, York City supporters will be watching their team at a new 8,000 capacity stadium by the start of the 2019/2020 season.”
Jon Flatman, York City Knights RFLC owner, said: “This is a positive step change for Rugby League in York and North Yorkshire. A community stadium will continue the growth of the sport for the professional club, community clubs, universities, colleges and schools.
“We will work hard to bring the 2021 World Cup to York and I look forward to each and every player, volunteer, supporter and coach in the district engaging and benefiting from the investment.”
Chris Symons, director of development for GLL, said: “GLL have always remained committed to the York Community Stadium Project and we are looking forward to getting the building works underway. The plans for the new stadium, leisure centre and community hub, are truly groundbreaking and represent a unique scheme that is sure to become a flagship project regionally as well as nationally.
“Our focus at GLL is to help more people, get more active, more often, and the inclusion of partners such as the NHS, York City FC, York City Knights, York Against Cancer and Library services, allows us to develop world class facilities that will thrive at the heart of the city. Not just for sport and activity, but for health and education too – reaching more families and young people than before.”
