en.Wedoany.com Reported - The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has proposed the creation of three new mayoral development zones (MDZs) to drive jobs, housing, and regional regeneration.
The plans, expected to be approved at a cabinet meeting later this week, involve three locations: Scarborough, the Selby Growth Zone, and York Central.
A mayoral development zone is a policy tool granted to elected mayors, allowing them to designate priority development areas. The mayor leads collaboration with developers, landowners, and local authorities to attract private sector investment and coordinate public sector funding. The authority has initially proposed a £10 million MDZ regeneration fund to kickstart development in these areas.
The three sites were selected due to their geographical importance, the scale of investment in housing and commercial development, and the need to address deprivation.
York Central is one of the largest city centre regeneration projects in the UK. Led by a public-private partnership between McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate, alongside Homes England and Network Rail, it is a £2 billion comprehensive development plan to build 2,500 homes on land surrounding York Central Station.
Scarborough is considered to have significant brownfield redevelopment opportunities, including leisure, tourism, and commercial space projects. Development is currently underway at Middle Deepdale, providing 1,000 new homes as an urban extension north of Eastfield, expected to take 10 to 15 years to complete. Development partners include Keepmoat, Kebell Homes, Linden Homes, and extra care provider Sanctuary Group.
Selby is part of a large-scale regeneration plan led by North Yorkshire Council, including public space improvements, new housing, and the construction of Olympia Park, a new business district. Developer BOCM Pauls for Olympia Park originally received planning permission for the project in 2014, including up to 863 new homes. A 2024 briefing indicated that the council stated efforts must be made to make the site more attractive to residents, investors, and employers.
Combined Authority Mayor David Skaith stated that these three areas designated as MDZs have the capacity to deliver thousands of new homes, unlock thousands of new and better-quality jobs, and attract billions of pounds in investment to the region. Some sites are ready and just need a final push; others require final investment to get started. Each MDZ will be tailored to drive development and accelerate delivery.
The proposals will be discussed at the authority's cabinet meeting on 2 July 2026.
