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We are a leading UK developer with an outstanding track record of delivery in the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation and Living sector. McLaren Property, McLaren Living and McLaren Regeneration have a combined pipeline of £4.8bn across 41 sites, a total of 17,500 homes.

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CEG’s Head of Development (North) Karen Stafeckis joins McLaren Property’s York Central development team to advance one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes
Karen Stafeckis has been appointed as Development Director of York Central, one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes.
The expanded team will operate under Tom Gilman, Managing Director of McLaren Regeneration, and will collaborate closely with Allan Cook, founder of Arlington Real Estate, the strategic development partners of York Central. 
Together, they will drive the transformation of one of the largest brownfield sites in England, working with Homes England and Network Rail Property, as well as key partners including the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum.
York Central will deliver 2,500 new homes (20% of which will be affordable) and create up to one million sq ft of office, retail and hospitality space, along with improvements to the York Railway Station and an enhanced National Railway Museum. 
Next to York railway station and covering 45 hectares, York Central has the potential to generate up to 6,500 jobs and will help to grow York’s future economy by 20%, by adding £1.1bn GVA to the city.
Stafeckis will have a strategic role within the York Central team, which includes Jack Widdup, a current Development Director at McLaren Living, who will focus on York Central, and Joseph Young, a recent graduate joining as a Development Surveyor.
Tom Gilman, Managing Director of McLaren Regeneration, said: “York Central is a significant project for York and the UK, which will transform one of the largest brownfield sites into a vibrant and sustainable mixed-use community. 
<blockquote>We are assembling a strong team composed of experienced professionals, with expertise and insights gained from major regional regeneration projects and broad sector knowledge. I welcome Karen, Jack and Joseph to the team and very much look forward to working together to deliver an outstanding new quarter for the city of York.</blockquote>
Karen Stafeckis, Development Director, McLaren Property, said: 
<blockquote>York Central is one the UK’s most exciting regeneration projects, with huge opportunity and potential. I’m really looking forward to working with Tom and the team, our partners, stakeholders and local people to deliver our vision for a highly sustainable place, full of life, vitality and community. 
“A key focus for me is to embed and deliver upon the generational environmental and social sustainability commitments and opportunities that this development presents.</blockquote>
Stafeckis brings extensive experience from her previous role as Head of Development (North) at CEG &#8211; formerly Commercial Estates Group &#8211; where she was responsible for significant regeneration projects and partnerships across brownfield land in Leeds and has been involved in the climate agenda both at CEG and with the Leeds Climate Commission.
She will be primarily responsible for the environmental and social sustainability opportunities for all elements of the York Central project, to deliver a highly sustainable place and community.
Widdup will leverage his experience in the residential sector, focussing on the Build to Rent and Co-Living markets. His role will be critical in guiding the project’s residential strategy and ensuring the successful delivery of the housing component of York Central. Joseph Young, having recently completed his MSc Real Estate Finance at the University of Reading, will support the team across all elements of the development process.
The one million square feet of new offices, retail and leisure uses, to the rear of York station, will create a major new employment hub for northern England. Including a potential Government Property Agency (GPA) new 195,000 sq ft government hub, which could be home to up to 2,600 civil servants.
York Central will include 18 + acres of park land and public realm, with 50% of the rejuvenated site set to be green space, along with vibrant public squares that will connect the new development to the surrounding neighbourhoods and the adjacent York City Centre.

York Central expands development team

The proposals by McLaren Living will regenerate this underutilised town centre site, to create a vibrant, mixed-use community. The proposals comprise a new publicly accessible Garden Square on Clarendon Road, 314 market and affordable build-to-rent homes, 31,441ft² of flexible high-quality employment floorspace in a standalone building, 4,485ft² of retail space, including a café facing the Garden Square and approximately 6,000ft² of children’s play space. 
The development plans support the wider policy objectives of the Watford Gateway Strategic Development Area and the Clarendon Road Primary Office Location, through the redevelopment of the site to create a new mixed-use urban quarter of high-quality design and placemaking. They aim to improve the provision of public realm in the local area, by delivering a landscaped Garden Square which retains the existing mature trees along Clarendon Road. 
The proposals will deliver, and in many respects exceed, the principles in Watford’s Sustainability Strategy by seeking to reduce embodied carbon by re-purposing some of the existing structure on site. A range of sustainability and energy efficient measures result in a carbon reduction of 72.5%. The development will also bring significant employment opportunities to the area throughout the construction and operational phases.
In partnership with the landowner, Hertfordshire Police Constabulary, McLaren Living has undertaken a comprehensive programme of stakeholder and community engagement and a collaborative approach throughout the design and planning process. 
Patrick Joyce, Development Director at McLaren Living, commented:
<blockquote> “Our vision is to bring forward a new mixed-use quarter in the commercial heart of Watford, helping breathe new life into this part of Clarendon Road by delivering much needed new homes, high quality workspace, retail space and a new publicly accessible Garden Square. 
“We’ve liaised closely with the local community, stakeholders and the council on our plans for Clarendon Road and look forward to continuing our work to deliver a new neighbourhood for Watford.”</blockquote>
Hertfordshire Constabulary vacated the site in February 2024, having relocated to their new premises on George Street in Watford.

McLaren Living submits plans for Clarendon Road, a new mixed-use urban quarter in Watford

Record number of riders at CBRE&#8217;s Great Property Bike Ride.
The record number of participants, from more than 250 companies, chose one of three distances of 40km, 70km, or 122km, with the latter taking on the challenging summit of Box Hill.
John Gatley, CEO, McLaren Property, said: 
<blockquote>
&#8220;We are hugely proud to be the platinum sponsor of the CBRE Great Property Bike Ride this year, supporting Alzheimer’s Society. I would like to thank our team who took part, along with our consultants who joined us to raise money for such a worthwhile cause. The McLaren Property team and all the cyclists did amazingly well.&#8221;</blockquote>

McLaren Platinum Sponsor for the CBRE Great Property Bike Ride 2024

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Keep updated with the latest news & insights and explore the stories shaping our industry and business success.

York Central expands development team

York Central expands development team

McLaren Living submits plans for Clarendon Road, a new mixed-use...

McLaren Platinum Sponsor for the CBRE Great Property Bike Ride...

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