Major housing plans in York promise to improve the setting of a historic estate on the edge of the city.

Specialist developers the PJ Livesey Group have submitted their plans to City of York Council concerning the 37-acre Heslington Road Estate.

The application to City of York Council says one of York’s finest estates will be retained and converted into a unique development of homes set within open grounds.

The plans for the site to the south east of York follow months of consultation with heritage experts and the general public.

The finalised scheme would see all the heritage buildings retained and converted to residential, a new gate house on Heslington Road and a number of new build villas on the northern edge of the estate.

A Recreation Hall would be retained as a multi-use space available to the community and the expansive grounds would be restored and improved.

Altogether, 95 homes will result from the proposal. 

York Press:

The main building and the boiler house will be converted into 84 properties, as all the listed buildings are converted.

There would be 11 new-build homes, including a gate house and a rebuild of Home Farm.

The estate was established in 1796 by Quaker Willian Tuke, who believed mental health and physical activity were linked and created The Retreat, a place where the grounds offered recreational facilities and open space to support mental health care.

In patient services closed at The Retreat in 2018 and new centres of excellence for outpatients were established in other locations.

Hundreds of people visited the unique site over summer and attended the consultation events for what PJ Livesay called 'sensitive' plans to secure the future of the grounds and buildings of the estate.

This followed the company buying the site earlier this year.

Visitors unanimously agreed that location should be used to create new homes for the city with the expansive grounds protected and preserved.

 PJ Livesey Land Director, James Woodmansee, said: “Since being named as preferred developer for this unique asset we have listened closely to the views of heritage experts, local planners and local people and initial plans have significantly evolved.

“We believe the proposals now submitted will not only preserve the unique character of this place but also provide York with homes of history and quality.

“The grounds, including a flourishing orchard, would be maintained and the Quaker Burial Ground would be unaffected by the proposals.

“Heslington Road is a very special place which has played a significant role in York’s history and these proposals will respect that with plans for a heritage trail telling the story of The Retreat.”