YORK finally looks set to have its first Local Plan in more than 60 years by the summer.

A revised plan - which will decide what can be built and where in the city over the next 15 years - is set to be submitted to the planning inspectorate for approval following one final consultation in February and March.

The plan will create a permanent green belt and support the creation of 18,000 new homes, more than 4,000 of them affordable.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, executive member with responsibly for the plan, said: “This is a significant milestone after years of work, as we enter the last stage towards adopting a Local Plan for York – the first for over 60 years.

“This is a robust and sound plan, which will ensure York is able to deliver the housing, jobs, growth and facilities our city needs, whilst also protecting the city’s unique character, green belt and natural beauty."

Changes made to the original plan include a quantification of the proportion of affordable housing need that could achievably be delivered by 2033, and a target of 45 per cent has been set.

"The target balances realistic delivery expectations with ambition, being based on reasonable assumptions that the estimated delivery of affordable housing will be supplemented by other sources of supply," says a report by Corporate Director of Place, Neil Ferris.

He says the council could meet this target partially by developers of student housing off campus being required for the first time to make a financial contribution to affordable housing at a rate of 2.5 per cent per bedspace.

He said testing had demonstrated that a contribution could be introduced without compromising the viability of developments.

With smaller new residential development, of less than 14 dwellings, the plan will require an off-site financial contribution, with a flat rate of 10 per cnt on all proposals of between 5 and 14 dwellings.

Other key changes include:

*The creation of a 400m buffer zone around Strensall Common, which would protect it if the Queen Elizabeth Barracks site is redeveloped.

*The removal of an area of land at the back of Imphal Barracks - used as playing fields - from the greenbelt

*The removal of an area of the central campus of Askham Bryan College from the greenbelt

*An amendment to the boundary at St Peters School to remove land from the greenbelt

An additional area of land is also proposed to be allocated for a secondary school if required following the development of a huge new community dubbed Langwith in countryside to the south-east of York.

Cllr Ayre said he would like to thank the inspectors for their work and feedback as well as all planning experts, officers and residents who had invested their time in developing and progressing the plan to this final stage.

"We will continue to work constructively with the inspectors to keep making progress and get this plan adopted for the benefit of our city’s future," he added.