York shops in city centre set for refurbishment works

Plans to join a row of three shops in Church Lane, off Spurriergate, together to form a single unit have been approved by City of York Council.

An application from Bench Mark Designs stated the works would see detritus including wall lights, artwork and graffiti-style rendering removed and the buildings’ crumbling façades rebuilt.

Council planning officers stated the changes would help preserve and enhance the features of the buildings and the wider area.

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Plans approved by the council would see access to the upper floors of the buildings created from Church Lane.

Dividing walls on the ground floor would be removed, with the application stating that a larger space would be more attractive to potential tenants.

Toilets and kitchen facilities would also be provided.

Shop fronts would be altered including by creating a new shared entrance, removing the current graffiti-style paintwork and repainting the render.

Plans stated the shop fronts were currently a mixed bag of styles.

The application stated: “At present the shops are in a very poor condition, various tenants have embellished them.

“The intension is to remove all the detritus.”

Council planning officers stated the latest plans were an improvement on ones for the works which had previously been refused.

Officers stated: “The revised design would be in keeping with the character of the building and the surrounding conservation area.

“The works would support the reuse of the commercial unit and enable a complaint access to the upper floors.

“The reoccupation of the vacant ground floor units would contribute positively to the appearance of the streetscene.”