Hull City Council in the UK has chosen the English Cities Fund (ECF), a partnership between Muse, Legal & General, and Homes England, as its lead development partner for the East Bank Urban Village project.
The council is planning to sign a 15-year agreement with ECF on the master planning, development, and construction of the project, situated to the east of the River Hull.
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The project will feature a mix of uses, including 850 new homes, to transform the area into an urban community.
The new homes will be developed alongside ground-floor commercial spaces, complemented by a network of streets, plazas, and green spaces designed to create a pedestrian-friendly, family-oriented environment.
East Bank Urban Village will play a key role in fulfilling the council’s overarching City Plan goal of delivering 2,500 new homes in the city’s centre.
The project aims to revitalise the underutilised area of East Bank by introducing high-quality housing and infrastructure, thereby transforming it into a modern urban village at the core of the city.
ECF chair Michael Lyons said: “East Bank Urban Village is an ambitious plan to deliver a dynamic and vibrant new neighbourhood. As development partner, we will work together with Hull City Council to develop and accelerate the vision.
“By bringing our collective skills and experience ECF will support Hull City Council address regional priorities – whether through homes, jobs, or economic growth. We’ll work closely with communities as we progress to ensure the benefits of regeneration are felt at every level.”
The regeneration effort is supported by £9.87m ($12.44m) of secured Levelling Up Partnership funding from the national government.
The development is ideally situated to connect with the planned £26m District Heating Network project, enhancing sustainability and energy efficiency within the community.
Hull City Council portfolio holder for regeneration and housing and councillor Paul Drake-Davis said: “I am delighted to see this developer partner agreement with ECF progress. East Bank Urban Village will be one of Hull’s largest-ever regeneration projects and begins the transformation of a long-term derelict site just a stone’s throw away from the city centre.
“This new neighbourhood of up to 850 homes will act as a catalyst for further urban renewal within Hull and help increase investor confidence in the city with all the economic benefits that will arise.”
Hull City Council’s cabinet is poised to deliberate on acquiring several key third-party properties essential for East Bank’s development.
The acquisitions will be pursued in close partnership with ECF.
