CITY planners are backing the job-creating expansion plans of one of York’s oldest companies.

More than 100 new jobs are promised by JH Shouksmith should councillors approve a new company headquarters and units off Murton Way.

City of York’s planning committee is recommended to approve the scheme when it meets next Thursday.

The company, formed in 1820, seeks to replace existing office, warehouse and storage buildings that are prefabricated and more than 50 years old.

A report by council planners says the application is part retrospective as “much of the demolition has already taken place.”

If approved, a three-storey office building with 1,181m2 of office space would predominantly be occupied by Shouksmith staff. They would take 859m2, with 322m2 of floorspace occupied by others.

York Press:

The two two-storey light-industrial units would provide 1,396m2 of floorspace. A single unit would go to the north and a long building to the south would be split into five smaller units.

Council economic development staff say York needs suitable employment space and the proposal replaces “a dated building with modern, quality office space and desirable units.”

York has a shortage of industrial units and little being built, so the “proposed development will provide much needed business accommodation to enable business start-ups, support business growth and create jobs for local people.”

However, Osbaldwick Parish Council, while supporting the site redevelopment, believe the proposed buildings are “too big, completely out of character” with the area. They want something more traditional in red brick.

Similarly, Murton Parish Council said a three-storey building replacing single-storey premises was “too much” and they too seek a more traditional design.

York Press:

However, the city planners note no alternative site for JH Shouksmith & Sons  is available and say the brownfield site is suitable for redevelopment.

They note the company, with 70 staff in York and Leeds is “successful and growing” with annual turnover set to grow from £12m in 2021 to £17m in the next few years, requiring extra staff.

Shouksmith bought the Osbaldwick Industrial Estate in 1964 and has “created a thriving commercial estate providing employment and economic benefits.”

The proposed scheme provides a “suitable high-quality headquarters for this key York company” and with the industrial buildings is “a major investment of a successful York-based business.”

Employment at the site would also increase from 12 full-time and 2 part-time employees to a proposed 100 full-time and 100 part-time staff.

Recommending approval, the planners concluded the design and landscaping was appropriate for the site, with good design for headquarters for a long-established York company, and six new industrial units would assimilate with others nearby. Access and parking provision was acceptable and there would be no harm to neighbour amenity, they added.