Fresh plans have been revealed for a landmark building in York city centre.
The ground floor of Stonebow House – which used to be Heron Foods until it closed in June 2016 – could become a Co-op supermarket.
A planning application has been submitted to City of York Council, outlining plans for the new store.
It says: “The proposed alterations are required to facilitate the use of the site as a Co-op food store which in turn will support new employment opportunities, economic growth and create an active frontage onto The Stonebow and Colliergate adding to the vitality and vibrancy of the area.”
Alterations would include the installation of a louvre, replacement entrance doors, new security doors, bollards and cycle hoops.
Early deliveries
They also want to change the store delivery hours. Deliveries to the site – which is on the ground floor of a block of luxury apartments – are restricted to 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm on weekends.
But the Co-op planning application asks for this to be changed so that newspapers can be delivered to the site at 6am every day, with all other deliveries taking place within the existing restrictions: “It is expected that on average there will be three deliveries to the food store including newspapers each day.”
Plans had been put forward to turn the site into a luxury food hall with several restaurants and bars around a seating area.
It was to be the first venue outside London run by Market Halls, which runs sites in Fulham, Victoria and the West End.
An eight hour-long licensing hearing was held in 2018 after the plans attracted nearly 80 objection letters – and 20 in support of the scheme.
But in December 2019 it was revealed that the plans had been scrapped – with Market Halls focusing on London venues.
Thirteen luxury flats and high-end gym and cafe Supersonic Fitness have opened in the building in the past few years.