York Guides

Dig into past will pave way for bright future

£3.3m archaeological excavation will be biggest in city since Coppergate finds and lead to £150m regeneration

Paul Jeeves (Yorkshire Post)

THE largest archaeological dig in York for almost 30 years will pave the way for a £150m development within the medieval city walls.
Regeneration of the 10-acre Hungate site has been heralded as one of the most significant building projects in Europe by architects behind the scheme, which will see the semi-derelict land transformed into a vibrant urban community.
But before construction work can start a £3.3m archaeological dig will begin – the biggest to take place in the city since the Coppergate excavations of the 1970s and early 1980s. The spectacular finds from the five-year Coppergate dig which began in 1976 led to the creation of the Jorvik Viking Centre, and developers believe the Hungate archaeological study will provide an equally important insight into history dating back 2,000 years.
Vital clues to York's Roman past have already been discovered during preliminary excavation in Hungate, and artefacts which have been unearthed date back to the first century AD when Eboracum became a key fortress for the Roman ninth legion.
Part of a cemetery has been discovered alongside a major Roman road running down to the River Foss and there is also evidence of a Roman dock on the south-western edge of Hungate.
Blueprints for the £150m regeneration have been granted outline planning permission by York Council and work is expected to begin next year.
The construction programme on land between Stonebow, the River Foss and Foss Islands Road is due to last for between five and seven years.
However, the scale of the development has meant that the plans are being sent to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for final approval by John Prescott.
Phil Darcy is the managing director of Crosby Homes (Yorkshire), which is spearheading the Hungate (York) Regeneration Limited partnership behind the scheme.
Mr Darcy said: "It is an area which has not had a great deal of archaeological work done to it so it is a significant opportunity to find out more about the history of what life was like up to 2,000 years ago. Everyone is interested in history and archaeology – you only need to look at the popularity of programmes like Time Team.
"We have waited a long time to get the go-ahead for the scheme and we are delighted that we have been granted the outline planning permission. It will be a major boost for York, and we believe it will be seen as an example for future developments across Europe."
Regeneration of the site will incorporate 720 new homes including flats and town houses, a landmark five-storey office block and the biggest square in York.
The development has been themed heavily around the environment and will include a nature reserve, a riverside piazza, walkways and cycle paths, along with a car-share club to tackle congestion on York's roads.
Bars, restaurants, shops and a convenience goods store will also be built.
Coun Ann Reid (Lib Dem, Dringhouses and Woodthorpe), York Council's executive member for planning and transportation, said: "I have been a member on the council for the last 19 years and I have sat on the planning committee for a large part of that time, but this is one of the most exciting projects that I have seen.
"As councillors, we are often told that while developments fit within planning criteria it is not what residents want. But the Hungate redevelopment has received a massive amount of public support, which has been extremely encouraging."