Plans to convert a historic York psychiatric hospital into 120 homes have been backed after councillors heard the site was becoming financially unsustainable without redevelopment.
Developer PJ Livesey Holdings Ltd’s is set to convert and build new homes in the grounds of The Retreat, in Heslington Road, after York councillors backed the plans.
Richard Lawrence, head of design at the developer, said the conversion would boost the supply of homes in an area of York where demand is high but sites are limited.
Martin Ford, a trustee at The Retreat, said another use needed to be found for the site, the cost of which was crippling their business.
It comes after The Retreat stopped providing in patient care at the site in 2018.
It was opened by Quakers as a hospital for the mentally ill in 1796.
Its humane approach to treatment made it one of the most influencial sites of its kind at the time, according to its Historic England listing entry.
The application approved on Thursday, August 1, which is set for final talks with planning officers, would see a mix of apartments and new homes built at the site.
The main block of the hospital would house 84 apartments.
A total of 20 new homes are set to be built on the north east of the site.
Historic buildings across the estate including a former Gentlemen’s Lodge and Nurses’ Hostel are also set to be converted into homes and apartments.
City of York Council’s planning committee heard the public would be allowed limited access to the site, with the developer planning to showcase its history through a heritage trail.
Councillors heard the developer was considering an electronic fob or mobile phone system to balance access with security and safety concerns.
Access to a Quaker burial ground would be unlimited for those from that community.
Tennis courts
Councillors also heard PJ Livesey was in talks with local sports clubs about potentially restoring on-site bowling greens, tennis courts and a cricket pitch for their use.
But head of design Mr Lawrence told the committee they were concerned that could create parking problems and they were in discussions with Sport England about how to move forward.
The head of design said their plans for the site had subject to a long and thorough process including a number of public consultations to get them right.
He added assessments forecast that the proposals were the minimum needed to ensure it and its heritage assets remains viable for the future.
Mr Lawrence said: “We have been working with the council and The Retreat who support the re-use of the hospital building.
“We have successfully converted more than 145 heritage assets, we’re among a handful of developers with the expertise to take on this challenge.”
The Retreat trustee Mr Ford said they had chosen PJ Livesey because of their track record in converting historic buildings for new uses.
The trustee said: “As beautiful and as historic as this is we know the buildings are no longer suitable for health services in the modern world.
“Views from the apartments will be improved by the removal of ugly 1950s and 1960s additions to the building.
“The cost of running the estate has been crippling to us, the costs have pushed us close to being financially unsustainable as a business, the sale of the site will make all the difference to providing our services.”