PROPERTY consultancy Knight Frank has been appointed to advise National Railway Museum (NRM) in York, on how to make the best use of its property holdings.

The firm has been instructed by the National Museum of Science and Industry, which owns London properties including the Science Museum in South Kensington, as well as the NRM in York, the National Museum of Film and Television in Bradford and the Locomotion Museum in Durham.

The first task for Knight Frank will be advising on the further development of the National Railway Museum site in Leeman Road, York, where the museum occupies a 28-acre site within the 150-acre York central regeneration project.

Otherwise known as the "teardrop project" near York Railway station, there are regular meetings to discuss the future of the prime land by the York Central Steering Board. This consists of the NRM, City of York Council, Network Rail, the National Museum of Science and Industry and Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency.

The meetings, which will continue until winter 2006, will discuss a strategic transport study and a bid for Government cash to fund a mass transport scheme for the huge development.

The Knight Frank instruction follows the Government's decision to promote and develop science cities in the north of England. The first of these will be Newcastle upon Tyne, York and Manchester.

Mike Dove, the partner in charge of Knight Frank's Leeds office, said: "This is a very significant instruction."

Updated: 11:58 Thursday, January 06, 2005