Hull City Council has confirmed that a lead development partner has been secured for the ambitious East Bank Urban Village project.
The council have announced it will sign a 15-year agreement with ECF (English Cities Fund) for the planning, development and construction of the project. ECF is a partnership of Homes England, Legal & General, and Muse and is also working on major projects in other parts of the country including in Manchester, London, and Bradford.
The confirmation of the agreement between the council and ECF came at the 2025 UKREiiF investment submit currently being held in Leeds. The confirmation comes following initial discussions between the council and ECF at UKREiiF 2024.
(Image: Hull City Council)
The East Bank Urban Village is set to transform a large section of the Eastern bank of the River Hull by adding up to 850 new homes and a riverside promenade on what is currently mainly comprised of uninspiring brownfield land between the Myton Swing Bridge and Drypool Bridge. It is hoped the project will boost the Eastern side of the river which sits opposite the successful Museums Quarter and Old Town.
At a meeting of the council’s cabinet in February the portfolio holder for regeneration and housing, Cllr Paul Drake-Davis vowed to “get the ball rolling” on the development which he described as “one of the biggest transformation schemes in Hull’s history.” As some of the land included within the East Bank development is not owned by the council, at the meeting the held in February, the cabinet authorised the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to be used to acquire any such land if an agreement between the council and the land owner cannot be reached.
(Image: Invest Hull)
The cabinet also agreed that any such land acquisitions would be funded by the £9.9 million of secured Levelling Up Partnership funding that was secured to back the project.
ECF will now commence site enabling works for the scheme including structural repairs to Trinity Buoy Shed and adjacent river walkway. Alongside this, preparations are underway to design the East Bank Urban Village in more detail, ready for a hybrid planning application to be lodged in 2026.
Cllr Mike Ross, leader of the council, said: “The council is delighted to be finalising our partnership with ECF.
“East Bank Urban Village is one of Hull’s largest ever regeneration projects and will act as a catalyst for further urban renewal and help to increase investor confidence in the city with all the economic benefits that will arise.
(Image: Hull Live)
“Initial discussions with ECF took place at UKREiiF in 2024, so it’s fitting that we can sign the contract for the project at the event this year.”
Sir Michael Lyons, Chair of ECF, added: “East Bank is a new neighbourhood that supports Hull’s wider city centre vision, and is a perfect example of how this resilient city is using its industrial and maritime past to build a bright future for generations to come.
“We look forward to working closely with Hull City Council and local communities, drawing on the combined skills of our partners to realise the potential of this regeneration for the city. This includes creating new homes, boosting local employment, and driving inclusive economic growth.
“We’re delighted to be working with our partners on East Bank Hull and, with the quality of the waterfront site and the impact it will make on the city, it’s an incredibly exciting project to be involved in.”
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