YORK-based property developers Helmsley Group have snapped up yet another prime city centre property.

The company, which has ambitious plans to redevelop Coney Street and related river frontage, has bought the nearby 2 and 2a Lendal.

The Grade II- listed building, erected in 1816, presently contains the national Italian restaurant chain Zizzi, and Nola, an independent restaurant serving Creole-influenced dishes. Both will remain as tenants.

Helmsley bought the premises just prior to them going to auction earlier this month, with a guide price between £1m and £1.1m.

The developer declined to say what it paid for the building but Acuitis, who were due to auction the property, said although they are not permitted to give a figure, they could say “it was sold in excess of our £1m to £1.1m guide price range.”

The deal follows other recent acquisitions in central York as Helmsley works on its riverside redevelopment proposals, which are set to be revealed in the coming months.

They include 19 Coney Street, a 50,000 sq ft retail unit currently occupied by Next and Monsoon, as well as numbers three to seven Coney Street, housing JD Sports, Lush, Mango and the newly-opened Rosa’s Thai.

Helmsley's head of asset management, Alexia Swift-Cookson, said of the latest purchase: “2 Lendal is a prominent building located within a thriving leisure pitch, close to the Guildhall, York Minster and the riverfront, and has the potential to offer positive return on investment over the medium to long-term.

“As one of York’s longest-serving and most well-known property companies, we have made a continued commitment to the future of central York, and this most recent purchase will allow us to further develop our strategy of creating resilient high streets which offer diverse leisure and retail opportunities to visitors and local people alike. We are exploring further development and investment opportunities in this area and are confident of taking these forward over the coming months.”