DETAILED proposals for York’s biggest housing development in years have been submitted to City of York Council.

The “reserved matters” application by York developers Persimmon and Hogg the Builders for the 700-home Germany Beck scheme at Fulford follows a public consultation in the village.

The project was given outline consent in 2007 following a public inquiry, at which local residents bitterly opposed the scheme, raising concerns about issues including extra traffic on local roads and the loss of green open space.

Fulford councillor Keith Aspden said yesterday that the Germany Beck Community Forum, which he chaired, had been told by the developers that the final stage of the planning process was now being entered into.

He said the application might go before the council’s main planning committee as early as April, with the target date for the developers believed to be April 24, although this was yet to be confirmed by the authority.

He said he had been calling for more time for residents’ comments on the plans, and a petition for further consultation which he had organised led to it being extended twice, but he claimed residents still had concerns that needed to be addressed.

Andrew Bowes, managing director at Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, said an application for approval of reserved planning matters was submitted last week, following a lengthy and extended public consultation process carried out in accordance with the council’s adopted statement of community involvement.