York Minster
York Minster
Our long history of involvement with York Minster and its Precinct began with a Conservation Plan to support the York Minster Revealed project. More recently, our urbanism and conservation teams supported the Minster in preparing an award-winning Neighbourhood Plan for the Precinct.
York Minster is one of Europe’s greatest cathedrals, on a site that has been continuously occupied since the Roman period. The present building illustrates in exemplary fashion how the Gothic style was developed in the North between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, and the results stand as a much-loved symbol of the city and the county.
The Minster’s Precinct is rich in archaeological potential, and has many listed buildings, ranging from grand medieval buildings in a park setting to city-centre Georgian shops, as well as Dean’s Park, a rare green space in the city centre.
Our Conservation Plan informed a successful application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. It identifies the architectural, historical and social significance of this magnificent building, analysing its strengths, and where opportunities exist for improvement.
Following from this, the Precinct Neighbourhood Plan provides an integrated and holistic framework for the creation of new visitor facilities including a refectory, museum and learning centre, and international centre of excellence for the Minster’s stonemasons. It was developed in close collaboration with the local community, Historic England and York City Council, and was adopted as planning policy in 2022. In 2023, it won a RTPI Planning Excellence award and was named Religious Heritage Innovator of the Year by the Future of Religous Heritage (Europe).
The Centre of Excellence - designed by Tonkin Liu Architects - is now on site and our focus is turning to a Net Zero Strategy for the Precinct.
Client: Chapter of York