In April 2004 Kraft Foods announced the closure of the Terry's factory complex. The factory finished production and closed in September of the following year. The site has since been sold to York-based GHT Developments LLP (Grantside).

Planning Application

A planning application was submitted for the redevelopment of the site in 2006. Whilst the principle of redevelopment was welcomed by the Council, the application was refused at Planning Committee in September 2008. Since then the applicants have worked closely with council officers and the local community to reach this revised scheme. A fresh look was taken at how the site might best be brought back to active use and how it might relate and connect to adjacent communities.

As a critical part of this process the landowners and their team held an initial consultation workshop in November 2008 to explore ideas for how the redevelopment of the former Terry's Chocolate site might be taken forward.  You can download a copy of the findings of the workshop from the right hand side of this page. The findings fed into the process of producing sketch masterplan options for the redevelopment of the site. Grantside held an exhibition of the options for the site in February 2009, an exhibition of the masterplan in June 2009 and give a public presentation on traffic matters in July 2009.  

A Community Forum was established in January 2009 to represent the views of the local community as the masterplan progressed. It has met five times to discuss proposals from the developer ahead of any formal application. A Steering Group was also established between the Council and the developer, in order to discuss issues of concern and progress the masterplan through to a planning application. In response to concerns over traffic a Transport Sub Group was set up in addition to the main Steering Group. This is made up of Council Officers and the Grantside Developer team. The group has met regularly since November 2008 and has focused on agreed principles and finding an acceptable solution for a fresh application.

Further details and feedback from the developer's consultations, newsletters and the Community Forum, can be seen by visiting the developer's website www.thechocolateworks.net

On 27th August 2009 a revised planning application was submitted for the development of a mixed use scheme on the former Terry's factory site. The proposed development includes a range of uses including housing, apartments, offices, two hotels, a small shop, a nursery, a medical centre and small retail spaces that will include food and drink outlets.

This application was approved by the Council's Planning Committee on 3rd February 2010, and further detailed 'reserved matters' applications will be submitted in due course.

Revised Terry's Development Brief

A Development Brief for the Terry's site was approved by the City of York Council in 2006.  This set out the Council's requirements for the redevelopment of the site, namely an employment-led mixed use development with careful consideration given to its landscape setting, conservation area status and listed buildings.  Since the planning application for the redevelopment of the site was refused planning permission in August 2008, Officers have been working in partnership with the developers to work towards a high quality re-application.  As part of this process a revised Brief has been approved. The Brief will be used as guidance in negotiating any applications on the site.

You can download a copy of the original 2006 Development Brief and the 2009 Revised Development Brief from the right hand side of this page.

The Racecourse and Terry's Factory Conservation Area Character Appraisal

Part of the Terry's site is located within the Racecourse and Terry's Factory Conservation Area. A Character Appraisal has been produced in order to properly consider the character of the Conservation Area in any development proposals. You can download a copy of this document from the right hand side of this page.