Front Street is an important high street in Acomb, York. It plays a vital role in the community and the wider city and is home to many established and well-loved local independent retailers and community spaces.
There has been a long-standing desire to undertake place making improvements to enhance the economic growth of this shopping area.
In recent years, funding has been received from central government to enhance, develop and support a more resilient high street in Acomb.
Acomb Front Street project updates
On Thursday 18 July 2024 the council’s Executive considered an update report.
See the Front Street update report, which included feedback from public engagement that took place in March, and an outline of the high level principles of the Phase 2 scheme.
Members gave approval to further progress the detailed design for improvements to the area.
The phase 2 scheme will be considered at 2 public decision sessions in September:
- an update on the project will be discussed at a Scrutiny meeting on Monday 9 September at 5.30pm
- a report will be taken to the decision session for the Executive Member for Economy and Culture on 24 September at 10.00am
Watch the meeting webcasts or register to speak at a meeting.
An engagement event with the community will also be held on Thursday 26 September at the Gateway Centre with people invited to drop in at any time between 3.00pm and 6.00pm to meet the team.
Subject to approval, construction would commence at the start of October 2024 and should ensure completion by the UKSPF March 2025 spend deadline.
Work is already underway to upgrade the Cross Street toilets to 2 accessible facilities.
Acomb Front Street timeline
2017: The council’s Executive set aside £100,000 to be split equally between Acomb and Haxby shopping areas. This money was spent on immediate measures to improve the street scene and footfall, including Christmas lights, ADAM music festival, recycling centre, flower tubs, and funded a study to consider physical improvements for longer term impact.
2020: 1,200 residents, businesses and visitors respond to an initial consultation and visioning work on the future of Front Street, telling us what they loved about Acomb Front Street and also what they'd like to change.
April 2022: The resulting Future of Acomb Front Street Study set out a 10 to 15 year vision and proposed 10 potential longer-term ideas to improve the area. The council’s Executive noted the Study and agreed that these ideas would be subject to further feasibility and engagement should funding become available.
December 2022: £395,000 funding secured from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to deliver highway improvements on Front Street.
Early 2023: Phase 1 highway improvements on Front Street carried out to address some of the needs identified in engagement feedback, including:
- repairing the uneven pavement and damaged drainage
- addressing illegal parking
- improving the rundown appearance
- installing new styles of accessible seating, a ‘Happy to Chat Bench’, and cycle racks
October 2023: £570,000 of additional funding agreed, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to invest in further work to improve the area.
February 2024: Executive Member for Transport and Economy agrees to engagement exercise to explore how this money can best be spent. The Acomb Front Street Phase 2 consultation closed on Sunday 24 March 2024.
July 2024: An update on draft phase 2 proposals and community feedback was shared at a Joint Ward Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 July 2024. Read the published notes of the meeting via the Acomb Ward Committee, the Holgate Ward Committee, and the Westfield Ward Committee.