The Roman Quarter

New ambitious plans have been re-submitted to redevelop Rougier Street, in York City Centre, and replace them with an iconic mixed use development including a globally unique Roman visitor attraction.

Original plans for the project were recommended for approval by Officers but were refused by City of York’s Planning Committee in February 2021 and the development has been fully redesigned, taking on board feedback from the Council and other stakeholders.

It is now a truly mixed-use development including the Roman attraction – called EBORACUM, 25,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, an 88-room aparthotel and 153 new apartments. The project is a partnership between joint applicants Rougier Street Developments, owners of the site, and York Archaeological Trust.

Redeveloping Northern House, Rougier House and Society will be a major economic boost for York, delivering over £315m for the local economy over 30 years, as well as 625 new jobs for local people and a vibrant addition to the city’s cultural offer.

Award winning architect Vincent & Brown has remodelled the plans and the vision is now made-up of two distinct buildings that showcase the Roman attraction and breathe new life into Rougier Street.

Copy of Copy of Before shot of the potential Roman York development

York Archaeological Trust, which developed the JORVIK Viking Centre following the Coppergate dig in the late 1970s and early 1980s, will conduct a two year dig of the site, prior to building work starting. The dig will be one of the largest of its kind in the UK, and is expected to be especially significant given the waterlogged ground conditions which preserved so much organic matter at Coppergate. With artefacts expected to date from 2000 years ago, and trial pits revealing the potential for major discoveries, significant Roman finds will be displayed in the new basement visitor attraction.

A public open day organised by York Archaeological Trust at a recent excavation.

The once-in-a-generation dig itself will have significant public benefit, creating excitement and engagement amongst York residents and visitors alike, as the layers of history are peeled back, and the public will be invited to share in the excitement as items are unearthed. The archaeology alone will provide a significant positive impact for the local economy, driving national and international tourism, and providing global exposure for the city. This will continue when the completed attraction – which will be double the size of JORVIK Viking Centre - opens. Early predictions suggest it will receive above half a million visitors per year, adding £20 million to York’s economy.

David Jennings, CEO York Archaeological Trust commented:

“This is a unique opportunity to understand York’s origins and find out more about how the City developed. The location, next to the original Roman crossing of the River Ouse, and the scale of the dig site makes us anticipate very exciting discoveries that link Roman Eboracum with York’s future. Items discovered in similar ground conditions in Coppergate helped change the world’s perception of the Vikings and made York world-renowned. The chance to do the same for the Romans makes this one of the most exciting projects in the world. Here, we can begin to understand how the Roman Empire shaped and fundamentally changed the world, creating immense temporal currents that can still be felt today. In its time, Roman Eboracum changed from Roman military base, through to a provincial capital where Emperors lived and died. For periods, therefore, York was at the centre of the Roman world.”

A spokesperson for North Star, who are working alongside the applicants, commented:

“During the past year, we have worked closely with the Council and taken on board feedback to ensure that the new proposals offer as many benefits as possible and address the reasons for refusal.

“We are grateful for the feedback from the Planning Committee and have addressed the comments that the previous design was ‘monolithic’ by making the design more fluid and breaking up the massing of the development. The new plans retain the benefits of the original concept but in much improved design.

“These plans offer a once in a generation opportunity to regenerate this part of the City Centre, as well as creating a globally unique Roman visitor attraction, in a high-quality mixed-use scheme.”

A spokesperson for Visit York added:

“This is an exciting project for the city and one that will have significant long-term economic benefits for York. Both the archaeological excavations and the attraction itself will expand our understanding of York’s fascinating Roman history and add a new asset to our city’s rich heritage offer. What York Archaeological Trust did for the Vikings with the Coppergate excavations it can now do to showcase the impact of the Romans over 2,000 years ago.”