Spark York has revealed plans for upgrades to support the “long-term sustainability of the site”.
The box park won permission to stay on Piccadilly till 2030 and now wants to enhance the experience for visitors.
New plans would see the forecourt remodelled and the ‘entrance hall’ adapted to become a space for “community events, gatherings, and programmed activities”.
There will also be a separate planning application “to support a coordinated wayfinding and storytelling approach. This strategy will guide visitors from outside to inside, clearly communicating Spark’s social value while improving tenant visibility”.
Planning documents state: “Since opening, Spark has become a well-loved and established destination.
“However, the site is now showing signs of cosmetic wear and tear, reflecting the temporary nature of a scheme originally designed for a three-year life span in this location.”
The new plans are aimed at “enhancing the overall quality, durability, and appearance of the space for the remainder of its operational period”.
These include redesigning the staircases. The principal staircase would be turned to face the entrance. The lift will be relocated to the rear of the site.
Fixed heavy benches in the entrance hall would be removed. Extensions to the first floor decking would keep the same space for people to enjoy food and drink “while enabling greater spatial flexibility”.
This approach will support a wider range of uses of the entrance hall, “including exhibitions and installations, alongside classes, maker sessions, and creative events”.
There could be art exhibitions, workshops and a social lounge.
The forecourt would be “decluttered” and the surface improved. “New canopy and feature wall elements help frame the entrance, strengthen the site’s identity, and improve visibility from the street.”
A new single gate to the north “replaces the existing double-leaf gate, improving openness”. A second gate would be added at the junction of Piccadilly and Dennis Street.
And “a lightweight canopy structure formed from scaffold framing and polycarbonate sheeting is proposed to provide external shelter while maintaining daylight penetration into the space”.
The entrance canopy will be constructed from coloured tubular steel.
No changes are proposed to the main roof plan. Additional external decking would stay open to the elements.
There will be a series of consultations to gather feedback on the plans.
A public drop-in event is set to be held at Spark from 3pm to 5pm on Thursday, 18 June so people can view and comment on the plans.
Planning documents add: “What began as a three-year temporary project is now embedded in York’s city centre as a well-used community asset.
“Spark continues to evolve, informed by its belief that flexible, lower-risk incubation environments offer a replicable solution to vacancy and dereliction in cities, and that a business can be genuinely useful to a community while remaining financially sustainable.”
Spark offers food and drinks businesses space so they can launch and grow ahead of potential moves to their own premises.
Around 430,000 people visit the venue every year and it had supported 65 fledgling businesses and was turning over around £5m-a-year as of last year, according to company figures.
