Urban woodland plan for Albion Square

An artist’s impression of the proposed development of Albion Square

The proposed Albion Square development could include a large “urban park” as part of new plans to be submitted to Hull City Council’s planning committee later this year.

The new design features a mixture of residential, office and retail space, as well as the urban park and additional eco-friendly elements.

The wilding of the area will create a new green space for the city centre, the council said.

But the proposal for Albion Square no longer includes an Ice Arena, with the authority preferring to explore other areas of the city centre for the new arena.

The plans still retain Alan Boyson’s landmark Three Ships Mural, which will be incorporated and made a key component of the new development.

City council leader Daren Hale said: “The Albion Square development is a transformational project for Hull in the heart of our city centre.

“These new plans will create a city centre oasis, a place where people will be keen to live, work, relax and socialise.

How the development would look from Bond Street corner

“We know how important green spaces are to residents and visitors, that is why we have invested significantly in the refurbishment of Queens Gardens, Pearson Park, Pickering Park, East Park, as well as in many other parks and green spaces across the city.

“There is a huge demand for premium city centre residential property, as we’ve seen with the success of projects like the Fruit Market on the marina, so this mixture of first-class residential property and office space is the ideal option for Albion Square.

“The inclusion of an urban woodland will create an iconic city centre location that the whole city can enjoy.”

As well as the urban woodland, the new plans also include a bike hub where cyclists will be able to store bikes.

The development will also include solar panels, EV charging points and other eco-friendly apects.

Councillor Hale said: “We sit on the energy estuary and declared a climate emergency in 2019, before publishing our Hull 2030 Carbon Neutral Strategy.

“The proposals for Albion Square reflect our commitment to delivering sustainable and responsible projects for our city and residents.”

Detailed plans will be submitted to the planning committee.