PLANS to build accommodation for 282 students at a former dairy in York’s Hull Road have been approved by councillors.

The outline application was resubmitted after a scheme proposing accommodation for 332 students was refused in June.

Councillors said that the new scheme addressed their concerns of overdevelopment.

Coun Ann Reid said: “It does seem that whichever way we go with decision making on student accommodation, we can’t get it right. Even if we insisted that the university provided places for every single one of its students we couldn’t make them live there.

“What’s most important is that the accommodation built for students is high quality and of a design they want to live in. Then they’re less likely to want to move into a family home.”

But an application to build a further six blocks of student accommodation in Lawrence Street, at the former Reg Vardy garage site, was refused on the grounds the plans constituted overdevelopment and would have a negative effect on existing residents.

Coun Ruth Potter said: “In principle I’m not opposed to student accommodation on this site. It has to be good-quality student accommodation for the people that live there and those around it.”

Mark Warters, the chairman of Osbaldwick Parish Council, opposed both applications on the grounds that the Local Plan said the University of York and York St John University were expected to provide accommodation for students on their campuses or on land in their ownership or control.