York retail park withdraws expansion plans

The operator of the site has withdrawn plans to expand while it focuses on parking issues at key times of year

A York retail centre has withdrawn multi-million pound expansion plans - saying it wished to focus instead on solving current parking issues.

York Designer Outlet's original plans, submitted in 2019, proposed opening 20 new shops and restaurants, creating more than 500 retail and construction jobs.

But McArthurGlen, which manages the site on the outskirts of the city, now said it wanted to focus on easing traffic congestion during the peak shopping months.

The site will instead aim to create temporary overflow car parking for November and December, but some city centre businesses raised concern about the fresh plans.

The revised application for the centre, which opened in 1998 and has more than 100 stores, would provide approximately 340 extra parking spaces at peak times for the next three years.

McArthurGlen said the move would ease traffic congestion and help make the Park and Ride facility run more efficiently during busy times.

Talking about the parking issues, centre manager Paul Tyler told BBC Radio York: "As we work to resolve that with the council and come up with a solution, we will continue to look at what are the options and proposals for a potential expansion in the future.

"That would still certainly be our aspiration."

'Common-sense solution'

City centre businesses appealed for a level playing field from the council when the parking expansion is considered by planners.

Andrew Lowson, executive director of York's Business Improvement District (BID), said: “My view is that the offers at the designer outlet and city centre can complement one another, but I know that many city centre businesses want to see consistency when it comes to the local authority’s car parking strategy.

"We understand City of York Council plans to remove Castle car park, so when planning committees look at plans for additional parking elsewhere in the city BID members will expect the same strategy to apply."

McArthurGlen claimed the "common-sense solution" would solve problems with the site getting clogged up with people who cannot park.

“We are still committed to a more permanent solution and are in discussions with the council about helping to facilitate a new dedicated Park and Ride that will help all parties in the longer term,” it said.

City of York Council said it would not comment on live applications.

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