About My Castle Gateway

My Castle Gateway launched in June 2017. We’ve been working with anyone interested in shaping the future of Castle Gateway, an area which includes Fossgate, Walmgate, Piccadilly, Foss Basin and Castle area and Eye of York.

2017-2018: In 2017 My Castle Gateway opened up a conversation about the future of the Castle Gateway area using walks, workshops, photography, social media and lots of post it notes. In August 2017 My Castle Gateway published an open community brief for the Castle Gateway area for further discussion and, in December 2017, gathered responses to emerging Masterplan ideasIn April 2018 the council Executive approved the masterplan vision.

2019-2020: In January 2019 we launched the next phase of My Castle Gateway to develop more detailed community briefs for Piccadilly, looked at the planning applications for St George’s Field car park and Castle Mills Apartments which are open now. In Summer and early Autumn 2019 we developed the Open Community Brief for the new public spaces. The Draft Open Brief for the new public spaces was published in December 2019 and is open for discussion, revising and testing until February 2020.

The approach My Castle Gateway has taken goes beyond conventional community consultation by enabling all those interested to become part of a sustained long-term conversation where influence comes through sharing responsibility for the area and its future. Getting involved will active, challenging and fun.

Our approach includes:

  • Build a brief: Start with the personal… and make different people’s needs and ideas visible. In My Castle Gateway 2 we’ll be develop more detailed open public briefs for each of the key areas, starting with Piccadilly and soon after the new public space (thoughts on the value of a good brief can be read here)
  • Explore Challenges: Cultivate a grown up and sophisticated public debate about complex issues. In My Castle Gateway 2 this will include taking a systemic approach to the design and development in Castle Gateway
  • Make change together: Facilitate community networks and local action as well as long term community influence in decision-making, design and delivery. In My Castle Gateway 2 this will mean developing community networks that can take forward good ideas immediately as part of prototyping and experimenting with future uses and to iteratively inform the designs and planning applications.

My Castle Gateway is part of the wider My Future York project. Read more about the My Future York approach – developed through both My Castle Gateway and My York Central.

My Castle Gateway started as a collaboration between the City of York Council and My Future York with support and funding for activities from the University of Leeds’ Leeds Social Science Institute. Since 2019 City of York Council has funded My Future York’s engagement activities. Wider Castle Gateway project governance is via the Council’s Executive.