Opening Coney Street up to the riverside is exactly what York city centre needs to breathe new life into it, a director of the group behind the ambitious plans said.

Ed Harrowsmith, director of investments at the Helmsley Group, was speaking to The Press weeks before the group’s masterplan to transform what is considered York’s main shopping street goes before council planners.

Coney Street as it currently isConey Street as it currently is (Image: Dylan Connell)

The plans, first submitted two years ago, include opening up Coney Street to the riverside and filling it with shops, bars and restaurants, as well as residential accommodation.

“It’s an ambitious scheme, but it’s what York needs,” Mr Harrowsmith said.

Ed Harrowsmith, director of investments at the Helmsley GroupEd Harrowsmith, director of investments at the Helmsley Group (Image: Dylan Connell) He added that making the riverside accessible from Coney Street is what the area is “crying out for”.

“It’s such a waste of beautiful city space.”

Under the plans, the building that houses Boots would be knocked down so a street can be built going to the riverside area.

Lush, where the snickleway would be created under the plansLush, where the snickelway would be created under the plans (Image: Dylan Connell) The building that houses Lush at the St Helen’s Square end of the street would also be removed so a snickelway can be built going to the Ouse.

Mr Harrowsmith said both businesses are aware of this and “committed” to still having a presence in the street.

Boots has already moved its optician branch of the business into what was previously Paperchase.

How the street where Boots is leading to the Ouse would look under the plansHow the street where Boots is leading to the Ouse would look under the plans (Image: Supplied) Lush, meanwhile, has agreed to move into what was previously Mappin and Webb in the street, Mr Harrowsmith confirmed.

Under the plans, the snickelway where Lush currently is would take people out to the riverside, then down stairs closer to the Ouse.

This riverside area, currently filled with the backs of retail units, would stretch to near Ouse Bridge.

The riverside area as it currently is, with retail units backing onto the OuseThe riverside area as it currently is, with retail units backing onto the Ouse (Image: Dylan Connell) Mr Harrowsmith said the river is an “amazing part of the city that isn’t utilised”.

“The most important part of the river is the back of the retail units – it needs to be opened up.”

The new riverside area could even be used for entertainment events like music festivals, he said.

'Mothballed upper floors in Coney Street' would be turned into apartments under plans

Aside from the riverside area, apartments would be created in some of the currently unused upper floors of buildings in Coney Street, including above where Lush currently is, under the plans.

“There’re so many mothballed upper floors in Coney Street that could be used,” Mr Harrowsmith said, adding that nearby businesses would benefit from people living there. “The more people you have living in the city centre the more footfall there is.”

Mr Harrowsmith said reaction to the plans has been positive, with people agreeing that the street needs to be improved.

Boots in Coney Street, which would be knocked down under the plans so a street could be built going to the riverside areaBoots in Coney Street, which would be knocked down under the plans so a street could be built going to the riverside area (Image: Dylan Connell) Describing Coney Street as it currently is, he said: “It’s dirty, there’s no lighting in the winter if you walk down that street after 6pm.”

Mr Harrowsmith added that people have told him they feel unsafe walking down Coney Street after businesses have closed and it’s dark.

How the riverside area would look under the plansHow the riverside area would look under the plans (Image: Supplied) Others, he said, told him there is “nowhere to go” there in the evening, so avoid it.

“It’s a real crying shame it [Coney Street] is what it’s like,” he said, adding that improving it is “in desperate need for York”.  “This should be the centre of York; this should be the focus – it leads on to the fantastic amenities that York has to offer.

“It’s the first thing you see: this really ugly, under-utilised part of the city.”

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Mr Harrowsmith said the Helmsley Group wants to invest in the street to encourage more businesses to open there, which he feels will, in turn, make it feel safer.

“We’re going to be custodians of this street going forward,” he said. “We’re not in it to turn it and move on.

“We work and live in York so we’re passionate about how it looks.”