Stadium and store plan for Monks Cross site at York

A major development on the outskirts of York would see a large new Marks & Spencer store and a 6,000-seater stadium creating hundreds of jobs, the company behind the scheme has said.

Oakgate (Monks Cross) Ltd is to submit plans for the redevelopment of land near the Monks Cross retail park.

The scheme would see the new stadium become home to York City football club and the York City Knights rugby club.

An application is expected to be submitted to City of York Council soon.

The developer said the stadium would be on the site of the current Huntington Stadium at Monks Cross, but would be a completely new construction rather than a redevelopment.

A new 120,000sq ft Marks & Spencer store would be built as part of the development.

Staff jobs

This new store was seen as complimenting the firm's existing store in Parliament Street, which would be refurbished.

If planning approval was granted Marks & Spencer would close its two existing Monks Cross stores and offer staff positions at the new store, the company said.

Richard France, Managing Director of the Oakgate Group, said: "As people in York know, the idea of a new stadium has been around for a long time, and we have here an exciting, viable scheme that delivers a new home for both York City and York City Knights.

"The retail side of the scheme will help to enhance what is already a great offer in York.

"The scheme will also create around 750 new jobs, as well as hundreds of local construction jobs, so will be a fantastic boost to the local economy."

Clem Constantine, property director of Marks & Spencer, said Monks Cross was a "great site" for the store which would bring about 200 new jobs.