YORK’S Labour MP has weighed in on the row over long-term housing plans for the city, saying local leaders need to “stop shilly shallying” and come to an agreement.

The Local Plan, which outlines housing and business development for the city for the next 15 years, has been effectively on ice since October, when Labour lost overall control of City of York Council and opposition councillors halted consultation on the controversial plans.

In February, new government population predictions were published, further delaying the plans while planning bosses looked again at the estimated housing need for York now the new figures are out.

Sir Hugh Bayley, MP for York Central, spoke in Parliament this week, saying he feels he is failing the overwhelming number of people in York who are struggling to find decent housing in the city.

In a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday, he said: “York has one of the strongest economies in the north of England and it continues to buck the trend.

“The number of jobs under Labour grew from 40,000 to 57,000 but this growth was not matched by the number of houses being built, which is driving up the cost of buying and renting.

“The only answer is to build more homes.

“I want all the parties in York to work together and get the Local Plan approved.

“This is the only way to get York the additional housing it so badly needs.”

Sir Hugh urged local parties to “iron out their differences” and work together to agree a Local Plan and get more houses built.

He also called for changes to housing benefit rules in order to stop York residents being harder hit than people living in neighbouring areas.

As rent rates in York are much higher than neighbouring Malton, Barlby, Tadcaster and Selby, the MP said that low-income households in York end up with too little housing allowance to pay for their rent – £220 a month too little for a three-bedroom property in York – because the maximum Local Housing Allowance for the entire area is calculated together.

York’s Housing Allowance should be calculated separately from the lower cost neighbouring areas, Sir Hugh went on to say.