East Riding Council is warning there are several significant challenges with developing the site, including asbestos, access roads, and heritage requirements
Planners are looking for a developer for a prime site in the region: ‘Minster Towers is a key site in the heart of Beverley which has been under-utilised for many years, and East Riding Council is keen to see the property redeveloped,’ a spokesperson said(Image: East Riding Council)
A prime 2.1-acre town centre regeneration site in the shadow of Beverley Minster has been put on the market by East Riding Council. The local authority is inviting development proposals for the key location plot, which sits within Beverley’s historic Conservation Area.
Regeneration officers believe the site carries significant potential for residential-led redevelopment – around 25 homes could be built there if the right developer is found. But the authority is warning that respecting Beverley’s unique heritage and character is extremely important and future plans must ‘take account of local heritage requirements, especially the proximity to the Minster’.
There are several signiificant challenges with developing the site too, including asbestos, access roads, and heritage requirements. East Riding Council is hoping to encourage proactive developers by offering the freehold via an informal tender process.
The site listed on Rightmove is for the the long-vacant Minster Towers care home alongside an adjacent commercial property at 8 Lord Roberts Road. There is a crucial non-negotiable condition of any eventual sale – the buyer must retain and integrate at least 50 public parking spaces within their proposed masterplan.
A spokesperson for East Riding Council said: “Minster Towers is a key site in the heart of Beverley which has been under-utilised for many years, and East Riding Council is keen to see the property redeveloped.”
Developers will face strict heritage paremeters
Because of the land’s sensitive location, any incoming developer must navigate strict heritage parameters. Most notably, designs must protect and enhance sightlines across to the Grade I listed Beverley Minster, while safeguarding the operations and architectural integrity of the neighbouring Grade II listed former chapel, now operating as the East Riding Theatre.
The spokesperson explained the local history and Beverley’s unique and much-loved character was going to be so important for any future plans.
“It welcomes appropriate proposals that align with Beverley’s Conservation Area and take account of local heritage requirements, especially the proximity to the Minster. Proposals must also accommodate access requirements around existing users including the retained council-owned car park and East Riding Theatre,” he added.
“The council is dedicated to promoting Beverley as a good place to live, in a way that both preserves its heritage and promotes local growth. It will consider all bids received before the deadline and move forward with a preferred scheme, if possible, in due course.”
Minster Towers is a mostly single-storey brick and tile building erected in the 1960s and spans 1,360 square metres on a 1.14-acre plot. It is currently classed as uninhabitable.
Adjacent to that property sits 8 Lord Roberts Road, a two-storey 1930s red-brick building with a slate roof, which was historically used as offices and is part of the same listing. Included within the broader development footprint on the Rightmove listing is an existing council-operated car park.
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The marketing push follows a contentious planning chapter for the land. A previous application to redevelop the site was rejected by council planners, a decision subsequently upheld on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate due to critical conservation issues that any new purchaser must now resolve.
Prospective buyers will also need to consider wider infrastructure and neighbouring assets. An adjacent public convenience building is not included in the sale and must be retained, though council leaders have stated they are open to bids that visually integrate, modernise, or relocate the facilities.
Highways solutions must also ensure continuous access for the theatre and council operations, with indicative plans exploring potential secondary access from Minster Moorgate.
Environmental challenges on the site will fall squarely on the winning developer’s shoulders. The authority has confirmed that an asbestos survey has already been carried out on the 1960s care home structure, with purchasers expected to absorb all management, removal, and remediation costs, alongside upgrading any legacy utility connections.
To provide flexibility, the council is disposing of the freehold via an informal tender process and will weigh both conditional and unconditional offers. Bids subject to planning approval will face rigorous oversight.
The sales pack from East Riding Council makes clear financial liabilities beyond the headline acquisition figure. The successful developer must contribute £5,000 towards the council’s selling fees, cover their own professional legal expenses, and pay Stamp Duty.
Developers hoping to take on the historic plot must submit comprehensive tenders – including detailed design layouts, proof of funding, and heritage compliance plans – before a deadline of December 16th.
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