Council acquires land to develop major housing scheme

Hull City Council has completed the purchase of two keys sites identified for improvement of the East Bank of the River Hull.

This is a key milestone to support the delivery of a strategic city centre site for up to 850 sustainable and affordable new homes.

The Council were given just three weeks to enter into contracts with Homes England to receive grant funding of £5.7 million, to support the acquisition of the site which includes the Grade II listed building – Northern Divers and the former Clarence Mill in order to bring the sites back to life, construct 117 affordable homes and support the delivery of up to a further 733 units.

Mark Jones MBE, Director of Regeneration, said: “This is good news for the city. To acquire these two significant sites in just three weeks is quite remarkable. It demonstrates our commitment to secure the long-term future, reconnect this area of the city centre and give the area a new lease of life.

“This purchase follows the success of the work in the nearby Fruit Market where 101 new homes are currently being built. This again represents growing confidence and provides new housing in the city centre.”

This acquisition will redevelop a key strategic site as set out in the adopted Local Plan and Housing Growth Strategy into a high-quality mixed use development consisting mainly of residential properties, alongside office and leisure uses.

A Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is now being prepared for key city centre sites of which this is one. The SPD sets out the future of the site. It will be considered by the Planning Committee and Cabinet in the summer.

Alex Codd, Hull City Council’s new City Economic Development and Regeneration Manager.