News release

A £53m plan to regenerate Hull’s historic riverfront has been kick-started by a funding package of £9.3m from national regeneration agency English Partnerships.

The investment will pave the way for the development of 300 well-designed city centre homes and act as a catalyst to further investment along the riverside and in Hull city centre.

Redevelopment of the East Bank of the River Hull is a key priority for Citybuild, Hull's Urban Regeneration Company, to create high quality city centre housing and to encourage new jobs in the city centre.

The £9.3m funding from English Partnerships will enable developer and landowner Pure Urban to deliver the £53m phase one of the scheme, called The Boom. A development agreement has been signed between English Partnerships and Pure Urban under which the developer will provide:

• 300 one and two bedroom apartments sited around a central piazza near the new bridge and close to Hull’s famous The Deep visitor attraction;
• 1,113 sq m of retail units around the central piazza;
• undercroft car parking; and
• high quality public open space along the riverfront.

 Further phases are planned to provide more housing, a hotel, offices, restaurants and shops.

The riverside housing will be linked to the rest of Hull city centre by a stunning new footbridge being developed by Citybuild and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward. The landmark footbridge has been designed by London-based architects McDowell + Benedetti and will be constructed in line with The Boom.

Rob Pearson, English Partnerships Area Director Yorkshire, said, “We’re delighted to be able to announce funding support to Pure Urban for a project that will transform a run down area into a vibrant residential quarter on the waterside. The location next to the city centre and close to the main A63 will also show clearly how Hull is being regenerated.

“We will continue to play a key role in this project, ensuring high standards of design are delivered. For example, we have worked with Pure Urban to ensure that all homes will meet the EcoHomes ‘very good’ standard, meaning they will be built to high environmental sustainability standards.

“We will also be working with Citybuild and the Gateway Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder to ensure the urban renaissance of Hull goes from strength to strength.”

Andrew Allenby, spokesman for Pure Urban, said, “This support from English Partnerships will mean we can deliver the dream of building The Boom on the derelict East Bank of the River Hull.

“This scheme will help breath new life into the city centre – with the biggest impact expected outside office hours. City centre living has transformed other places in the north such as Leeds and Manchester, ensuring they remain vibrant and lively places long after people have gone home from work. With this announcement, the same can now happen in Hull.” 
                             
Cllr Andy Sloan, Portfolio Holder for Economy, Regeneration & Strategic Planning, Hull City Council, said: “This project will help kick start regeneration immediately east of the River and in the surrounding Witham area. It’s vital to ensure that development progresses in this area to balance retail developments on the west of the city centre.  An increased pace of regeneration is fundamental to Hull’s future prosperity and I’m glad to see this project now underway. Pure Urban are to be applauded. This demonstrates the commitment to the city of both local developers and key public sector bodies such as Yorkshire Forward and English Partnerships.”

Adam Wasserman Chief Executive of Citybuild, said, “The size, scale and quality of this residential led development is unprecedented in Hull and we have been working extensively with Pure Urban and English Partnerships over the last two years to bring this scheme together. We are delighted this scheme can now progress.

“This area has lain derelict for over a decade but this project will transform it into a thriving residential and leisure quarter. The East Bank of the River Hull is hugely significant for the city as its superb waterside location will open up a multitude of opportunities to bring people back into the city centre, whether it be to live, work or spend leisure time. It will complement our activity in other development areas, particularly on Humber Quays and the Fruit Market by creating a vibrant waterfront stretching along the River Hull, Hull Marina and the Humber Estuary.

“Clearly The Boom’s proximity to Hull’s award-winning visitor attraction, The Deep, will also considerably enhance the city’s tourism offer.”

English Partnerships is playing a key role in the regeneration of Hull through its support for Gateway and Citybuild. It is helping secure land for house building as well as procuring the involvement of private sector developers. It is also responsible for the regeneration of the former Hull Maternity Hospital site and is working closely with Hull Citybuild on assembling land for the regeneration of the Fruit Market area.

English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency. Its aim is to deliver high quality, sustainable growth in England.
www.englishpartnerships.co.uk

Citybuild is Hull’s urban regeneration company, spearheading a physical and economic development programme worth over £1.5 bn and transforming the face of Hull, the capital of Hull & Humber city region.
www.hullcitybuild.co.uk

Hull City Council plays a vital role in developing and delivering Hull's regeneration strategies, and promoting further development opportunities through business growth and investment and through its work with Citybuild, Gateway and Yorkshire Forward and English Partnerships.
www.hullcc.gov.uk

Pure Urban is a joint venture between Scruton & Co (Builders) Limited, Venture Business Parks Limited and Horncastle Group Plc.  The three parent companies are all developers operating within Yorkshire and have formed the joint venture so as to bring forward strategic development sites within the city of Hull.
www.pureurban.co.uk , www.scruton.co.uk; www.allenbycommercial.com; www.horncastlegroup.com