Acomb, North Yorkshire

Acomb , is a village and suburb within the City of York unitary authority area, in North Yorkshire, England, to the western side of York. It covers the site of the original village of the same name, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is bordered by the suburbs of Holgate to the east, Clifton to the north and Woodthorpe to the south. The boundary to the west abuts the fields close to the A1237, York Outer Ring Road. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Acomb was incorporated into the City of York in 1934. Formerly a farming village, Acomb expanded over the centuries to become a dormitory area for workers in heavy industry, such as rail engineering, in the 19th and 20th centuries and more recently for a more diverse workforce. Though it no longer has any large-scale manufacturing, it does have a diverse retail centre. There are at least 19 Grade II listed buildings within its boundaries. It was made a conservation area in 1975, with the historic area along Front Street and the Green retaining its village character. It is also an Area of Archaeological Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Acomb comprises two wards of the City of York: Acomb and Westfield. At the 2011 census of England and Wales, it had a population of 22,215, the largest of all areas of the city. There are six primary schools and one comprehensive school. There are also a variety of sporting clubs and one public sports centre. Acomb was recently famous in York for having a very high concentration of street bollards. These were installed in an upgrade in 2023 and have since prompted great controversy among residents due to their vast numbers and variance from the original proposed plans for the area. However, after successful campaigning by residents, the number of bollards was reduced in late 2024 as part of other street improvements.