AN online project inviting people to ‘redesign’ the masterplan for York Central has already produced two revised designs – with six weeks still to go.

The project, developed by think tank Demos and hosted by York campaign group YoCo (York Central Co-Owned), allows people to download the original masterplan for the huge site, then suggest changes.

One of the revised plans posted on the YoCo site - www.yoco.uk - proposes that cars should be restricted to multi-story car parks on the edge of the development. This would mean that the streets of York Central itself could be freed up for cycling, walking – and children playing, it says.

The second plan suggests that the development should be oriented around ‘community wealth building’, with an emphasis on allowing jobs to be created locally – and wealth to be kept within the area.

Jon Nash of Demos, which has designed the project, said it was still early days. “But we are already seeing people sign up, and a conversation starting,” he said.

York Central is often described as the ‘largest brownfield site in York’. A masterplan was developed following a pioneering ‘My York Central’ consultation in 2018. But it remains just an outline.

The new YoCo/ Demos ‘community plan’ tool inviting York people to have a go at suggesting improvements to the plan went live on the YoCo website on October 1.

To have a go, click a button on the YoCo website. You’ll then be sent an email with a link. Simply click on the link, and you can download a copy of the existing masterplan then start modifying it.

Alongside the online tool, YoCo member Phil Bixby, the York architect who helped run the original My York Central consultation, has also been leading a series of workshops.

Two were held at St Barnabas Church off Leeman Road last weekend. And two more, focussing on 'living in York Central’ and ‘public spaces’, will be held this Saturday, at 10.30am and 1.30pm.

The project comes to an end at the end of November.

Until then, visitors to the YoCo/ Demos site will be able to vote on which proposal they like most. After two months, the most popular ‘community plan’ will be presented to the York Central Partnership for consideration.