OUR VISION FOR THE LOWER PORTER
In April 2025 we launched a vision for the Lower Porter from St Marys Gate to the Station. With de-industrialisation and proposed new housing developments almost every site along this part of the river either has or will shortly be subject to redevelopment. Two large sites at Station Sq and at Moorfoot are promoted by the Council with Homes England to become new housing neighbourhoods and in between are a series of riverside spaces such as Matilda St Pocket Park,
Speedwell Works and Platform Flats (Sylvester St) which are crying out to be linked together. Unfortunately neither the current City Centre Plan nor the draft Local Plan recognises this opportunity. Our purpose is therefore to see the vision turned into council planning guidance probably through a Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG). The vision was put together by the Trust in partnership with local landscape practice Urban Wilderness to whom we offer our deep appreciation.
An initial version of the plan was submitted to the Local Plan Inspector in September 2024 and was then shared with as many stakeholders as possible including riparian owners and occupiers, whose comments are included in the current version.The launch included a series of invited walks which attracted representatives of the Council’s planning, regeneration and flood teams, the Environment Agency and Homes England, Yorkshire Water. Councillors Douglas Johnson (Green), Barbara Masters (Lib-Dem) and Ben Miskell (Labour) also attended the events and offered support. All members of Transport, Regeneration and Climate Change and Planning and Highways Committees have also received a personal copy.Reception was overwhelmingly positive and many useful insights were offered which we will write up. We hope to see the evidence in emerging plans for the area.
