Business centre to be demolished for regeneration

Councillors have unanimously approved plans to demolish part of the Selby Business Centre to make way for the long-awaited Selby Station Gateway regeneration scheme.

The £32m project to regenerate the area around Selby's railway station was first consulted on in 2019 but work only began last month after several delays.

The buildings, which sit opposite Selby railway station on Station Road, will be cleared to enable the creation of a new public plaza and improved links between the station, Selby Park and the town centre.

Planning officers recommended approval, describing the demolition as an "essential enabling step" for the government-funded project.

On Wednesday members of the Selby and Ainsty area planning committee gave the green light to proposals to demolish Units 6, 7 and 8 of the business centre on Station Road.

The application was approved without debate, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The business units have been vacant since December 2022 and officers said their removal would help open up views between the railway station and surrounding public spaces, while creating opportunities for new pedestrian and cycling routes.

A report to the committee said the existing buildings currently restrict visual and physical connections between the station, the park and the town centre.

Officers concluded that the benefits of the wider gateway scheme outweighed concerns over the loss of employment space.

The demolition forms part of a larger programme of improvements planned around Selby Station.

Conservation officers supported the demolition, stating that the industrial-style buildings detract from the character of the conservation area and that their removal would enhance views and improve the setting of nearby heritage assets.

While Selby Town Council objected to the loss of employment premises, planning officers noted that the site was not designated as an established employment area and that former occupiers had already been helped to relocate.

The gateway scheme is part of a wider government-backed project known as the Transforming Cities Fund, which was set up to encourage people to walk or cycle between town centres and railway stations.

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