Planning permission is sweet news for Nestle | Offices.org.uk

Planning permission is sweet news for Nestle

Posted on by John Cronin

Confectionery giant Nestle has won approval for plans to redevelop a large area of the former Rowntree factory in York.

nestle factoryThe planning committee at the City of York Council last night granted unanimous approval for the large-scale, speculative Nestle South redevelopment scheme (plans). The proposed, mixed-use scheme will see houses, flats, retail units and in excess of 100,000 sq ft of office space being built at the Haxby Road, York site (pictured).

Nestle first announced the redevelopment scheme in September 2006 and said it wanted to upgrade and improve production facilities in the more modern northern part of the site, the funding for which would come from redevelopment opportunities on the older, southern part of the site. The proposed development had raised objections from neighbouring council wards such as Heworth who suggested the scheme was over-developed and unsustainable. However, York Civic Trust had broadly welcomed the scheme, considering the redevelopment “appropriate to the location”.

The office accommodation is to be located in renovated and extended factory buildings, offering flexible configurations within large floor plates. The tallest office block will be 7-storeys in height while another existing factory building will offer 5-storeys of office space. The outline plans indicate that the office buildings will incorporate various energy-saving measures and are expected to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’.

Michael Jones, City of York development management officer said in his report that: “the reuse and partial redevelopment of the Nestle South site represents a regeneration opportunity of strategic importance to the city”. The offices will be marketed at prospective tenants from the creative and digital media industries alongside new, local start-up businesses who require serviced office facilities.

The large-scale, multi-million pound construction project is now being put out to tender.

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