Plans to help shopping areas in Acomb and Haxby are to go before the Economic Development and Community Engagement decision session next week, where they are expected to be approved.
Community groups in Acomb and Haxby could receive a share of £50k from City of York Council to help with immediate measures to help attract footfall to their out of city centre shopping areas, with a further £50k allocated to undertake a study exploring the long term trends in retail in these areas.
Acomb Front Street and The Village, Haxby are the two secondary shopping areas identified in York’s draft Local Plan. In 2017 residents, traders and community groups were asked for their ideas on how to improve these two areas, which has fed into these current proposals.
Cllr Keith Myers, Conservative member for Acomb said: “This is brilliant news which will contribute to the work that many of us have been involved in for years to improve the look and overall experience of shopping locally in Acomb. The grants will be divided between immediate assistance and longer term efforts. We’ve listened to residents, community groups and traders and now we really want to help take their ideas forward.”
The immediate measures for Acomb include installing Christmas lights , making recycling area improvements, improving wayfinding signage and introducing new planters on Acomb Front Street.
The grant will be also used to install Christmas lighting on Boroughbridge Road which will advertise Acomb Front Street on the A59.
In Haxby a feasibility study will look at the creation of a local traders’ association like Acomb’s to take forward long term improvements to the shopping area. A traders’ association will enable the council to work with local Haxby businesses to consider physical improvements to the area.
Cllr Tony Richardson, Conservative member for Haxby said: “I hope this will be the start of a good look at Haxby’s shopping offer and a chance to put together a traders’ association that will be able to access further funds. It’s something residents in Haxby can really benefit from.”
In parallel with these measures, it’s proposed that £50k be used to undertake a study exploring the long term trends in retail and how they might impact on growth in both Acomb Front Street and Haxby. Among other topics it will look at the public realm and street layout, the respective catchment areas, transport links, footfall and long term retail terms impacts on secondary shopping areas.
The study would be undertaken in the current financial year, with a report to be submitted before December 2018. This would then inform potential future investments in both secondary shopping areas.
A report will be taken to the Executive Member for Economic Development and Community Engagement’s Decision Session on Tuesday 3 July. This meeting is being held at West Offices from 2pm and is open to members of the public.