Three mayoral development zones (MDZs) are set to be established across York and North Yorkshire, aiming to accelerate job creation, housing delivery, and regeneration. The zones, located in Scarborough, Selby, and central York, will empower the region's elected mayor to coordinate developers, landowners, and local authorities to attract private investment and align public funding.
Initial £10m Fund to Unlock Development
An initial £10 million MDZ regeneration fund has been proposed to accelerate the next phases of development and unlock further government and private investment. This fund is expected to catalyze major projects across the three zones.
Selby Growth Zone: 7,000 New Jobs
The Selby Growth Zone will consolidate major employment sites in the south of the region, aiming to create more than 7,000 new jobs. This initiative targets significant economic growth in the Selby area.
York Central: 2,500 Homes and Business District
The York Central zone will focus on speeding up the delivery of 2,500 homes and a central business district. This project is seen as a transformative opportunity for the city and the wider region.
Scarborough: Town Centre Revival and New Homes
In Scarborough, the MDZ will implement measures to improve the town centre, advance leisure and tourism development, and facilitate the construction of thousands of new homes. The plan aims to regenerate the coastal town.
Mayor David Skaith: 'Making a Real Difference'
Mayor David Skaith said: “This is about using the full powers available to the mayor through devolution to making a real difference to people’s everyday lives; good jobs, affordable homes, and thriving communities. The three areas that will become MDZs have the ability to deliver thousands of new homes, unlock thousands of new and better jobs, and attract billions of pounds of investment into our region. Some of the sites are ready to go and just need that final push, others need the final pieces of investment to get them going. Each MDZ will be tailored to get development going and delivered quicker.”
Council Leaders Express Support
North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Coun Carl Les, said: “We are committed to bringing the best possible opportunities for our communities in North Yorkshire, whether that be better career prospects, the chance to own their own home or regenerating our towns and villages. The proposed Mayoral Development Zones are due to offer the opportunity to build on the work we have been undertaking to support all areas of the economy in places such as Scarborough, from the leisure and tourism sectors to the harbour, fishing and other marine activities such as the off-shore windfarm industry. Whether that is the prospect of bringing 7,000 new jobs to the Selby area or creating thousands of new homes and new leisure and tourism opportunities to regenerate Scarborough, this will be so important to help build on our ambitions. We will continue to work closely within the combined authority to make sure that these plans do bring real benefits to our residents and businesses in both the Scarborough and Selby areas, as well as ensuring the positive impact can be felt elsewhere in the county.”
Coun Claire Douglas, leader of City of York Council, said: “York Central is one of the country’s most exciting regeneration projects. With new affordable homes and well-paid jobs, lots of new commercial and retail space, new parks and much more, it presents a transformational opportunity for York and the wider region. We want to ensure everyone in the city feels the benefits of this major investment. It must offer opportunity and must work for everyone, and this latest announcement from the mayor is welcome support for that vision.”
Next Steps
The report detailing the MDZ proposals will be discussed at the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Cabinet meeting next week, marking the next step toward implementation.
