A planning application has been submitted by York charity, The Island, to build a children’s activity centre on an 8-acre site off New Lane in Huntington.
The charity is proposing a dedicated hub which would allow it to help even more children and young people to take positive steps forward in life.
The Island is currently based temporarily at a facility on Shipton Road, but says the relocation to a fit-for-purpose centre will help it to meet the increasing challenges that York children and young people face. The site will also allow it to offer a facility for the wider community to use and enjoy, as well as sharing the space with other charities.
The submitted plans have been designed with the involvement of young people as well as the wider community during public consultation.
The main building would include flexible spaces for a diverse range of activities including the arts, sports, music and a recording studio, as well as a café, therapy, tutoring and health advisory room.
An extensive outdoor landscaped recreational area includes an explorative woodland, a wildflower meadow, a pond and wetland, parkland and sporting facilities, and a working garden for growing and planting. Each of these areas is designed to facilitate new opportunities for play, discovery, restoration and personal development; all within nature-based settings for children and young people to enjoy.
The project team includes Vincent & Brown, O’Neill Associates, Aspect4, Re-form landscape architects and Royal Pilgrim Communications.
