AN old iron foundry in the heart of the huge York Central site could become a community hub.

Community group YoCo - York Co-Owned - is hoping it may be able to take over the former Albion foundry at a peppercorn rent and use it as a 'community engagement space/ ideas lab' .

It would be a place where local people, groups and schools could come together to put forward their own ideas for the future of the York Central development, said YoCo director Rebecca Carr.

YoCo is a collective of local people - including church groups, business owners, charities and others - whose common aim is to 'see York Central work for everybody'.

The huge York Central site, owned and managed by a partnership of Homes England, Network Rail, City of York Council and the National Railway Museum, covers 110 acres of former railway land behind York railway station. There is outline planning consent for up to 2,500 homes and more than 70,000 square metres of office space, plus shops, leisure facilities and a hotel.

YoCo is keen to see a 'co-owned, mixed use neighbourhood' developed as part of the regeneration of the site. It says if the York Central development is to be truly successful, there should be community involvement from the outset. It has put forward a proposal to the York Central Partnership to be allowed to take on the former Albion foundry - currently occupied by Autohorn car hire - at a peppercorn rent for a few years, and to operate it as 'an active front window' where locals can contribute their own ideas for the York Central development.

The former foundry building - which once produced cast and wrought iron components such as columns, girders and roof trusses for the railway industry, then later became a maintenance workshop - would be the ideal location, Rebecca said. "It is right in the middle of the York Central site, has good access, and is a real bit of industrial heritage'.

The idea has the backing of York Civic Trust chief executive Andrew Morrison. Letting YoCo use the building would make it possible for people who might otherwise be excluded from the process of developing York Central to be actively engaged, he said.

That is something York has always done well, he said. "Nearby housing was structured to create communities that supported the industry. YoCo could help grow new communities and place York Central at the heart of the future growth of York as an innovative, forward-looking community-focussed city."

A spokesperson for the York Central project said: “We welcome all interest in the project at York Central and look forward to engaging with local community groups as the project develops."

YoCo will be hosting a series of online workshops next week looking at how to create community spaces. Find out more or sign up at yoco.uk/get-involved