A YORK MP has branded a blueprint for the city’s future development which could see 22,000 new homes built “potentially disastrous”.

In his submission to the consultation on City of York Council’s draft Local Plan, mapping out how the city could be developed up to 2030, York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said the Labour authority’s proposals were “unsustainable” and could drive away business.

Labour has said the new homes targets are necessary for economic growth, to cope with an expanding population and to make housing more affordable.

Mr Sturdy said he could not support the draft plan because of concerns over how the need for the amount of proposed development had been calculated, its impact on “beautiful countryside” surrounding the city and the added strain it would place on roads and other infrastructure.

Mr Sturdy said: “The biggest challenge facing York’s businesses is transportation in and around the city, and if existing problems were to deteriorate, I have little doubt some businesses would choose to leave York while others would decide against coming here.

“Any economic advantages from pursuing such large-scale development would be short-term and largely superficial. In the long-term, York’s economy would likely become stagnant and even contract.”