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Friday 10 Jul 2026

Network Rail granted planning permission for new Wilton Rise Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge at York Central

Region & Route:

Eastern

Planning permission has been granted by City of York Council for the proposed Wilton Rise pedestrian and cycle bridge, a vital piece of the connectivity between the current Holgate community and the emerging York Central neighbourhood.

Network Rail, in collaboration with Homes England and York Central Limited (consisting of McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate) will replace the current Victorian stepped bridge to create an inclusive route for both residents and visitors.

The current bridge is inaccessible to wheelchair users, cyclists, and families with prams, and replacing it with a fully step-free route is a key priority.

The bridge will link into future community spaces and neighbourhoods at York Central, while preserving iconic views of the city, particularly towards York Minster, alongside ensuring the continued operation of vital rail infrastructure. The delivery of the Wilton Rise Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge is an important part of the infrastructure works for York Central which prepares the site ready for the regeneration scheme which is being delivered by York Central Limited.

York Central is one of England's largest city centre brownfield regeneration projects, spanning 45 hectares of land historically restricted to rail use for over 150 years.

The ambitious scheme will transform underused railway land into a vibrant residential neighbourhood and a high-quality commercial quarter with cultural and community spaces. This regeneration is expected to power York's economy into the future, providing much-needed homes and driving economic growth by 20%.

Stephen Hind, Network Rail New Business Director, said: "Getting planning permission for the Wilton Rise bridge is a major milestone for the York Central scheme. Good connectivity will be absolutely central to the success of this development, and this bridge is a key part of making that happen — linking the existing Holgate community with a new, inclusive and accessible route into one of England's most exciting regeneration projects."

David Rowlinson, Senior Planning Manager, Homes England: Another example of the partnership approach to planning and placemaking which is steering and progressing meaningful change at York Central. This will deliver a new bridge that improves connectivity and accessibility for the benefit of both existing and new residents whilst unlocking development opportunities to enable the delivery of homes and economic growth.

Tom Gilman, Managing Director, McLaren Regeneration, added: "Network Rail securing planning permission for this crucial piece of infrastructure is another great step forward for us all at York Central. Once installed, the new bridge will deliver a significant improvement to the existing, providing a safer and more accessible route for pedestrians and cyclists alike."

The new Wilton Rise Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge will be built in phases to ensure a route between Holgate ward and York Central is maintained during construction.

ENDS