A way forward to solve the issue regarding the adoption of a York estate has been found, according to Yorkshire Water.

Last week Cllr Darryl Smalley told deputy leader of the City of York Council Cllr Pete Kilbane that people living in the Granary Estate in the Clifton Without ward need the council to adopt their streets.

Without adoption, the maintenance of the estate is the responsibility of private developers and risks putting off potential buyers, according to Cllr Smalley.

A council document showed that City of York Council had asked Yorkshire Water to take over the local pumping station numerous times, which would allow the council to adopt the estate.

But Yorkshire Water insists complications arose due to the land the local pumping station is on belonging to a third party.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water now says “all parties” have agreed on a way forward to enable the council to adopt the Granary Estate.

“This has been a long-standing, complex and frustrating issue to resolve for residents and all the organisations involved,” the spokesperson said.

“All parties continue to work together and are pleased that a way forward has now been agreed.

“This requires formalisation, but all parties are confident the issue will be resolved in the near future.

“The complexity of this issue relates to ownership of the land (where the pumping station is located), which is owned by a third party.”

David Faraday, technical director for Redrow, one of the private developers, said: “We remain keen to assist in any way we can to reach a resolution and will continue to engage with all parties involved.”

Persimmon Homes, the other private developer, was approached for comment but did not respond.

Residents and councillors were keen to get the progress moved along because of fears that private developers may not maintain the road as well as the local council would.

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It is standard practice for a council to adopt a road once developed, but the complex land ownership issue slowed progress.

The Granary Estate was developed around four years ago.

Cllr Smalley said: “This is an issue that affects a great many people, not just those who live on the estate, but future residents and past residents.

“And we’ve had really difficult experiences as ward councillors with residents where conveyancing when they’re trying to sell their house, has raised road adoption as an issue delaying or even stalling their house sale, meaning they can’t get on with their lives.”

Cllr Kilbane said: “It is a complicated issue.

“It’s to do with land ownership and who’s responsible but I think if all parties pull their fingers out we can get this resolved quite quickly with good will.”

He said he would write to all who were involved in the decision, adding: “We do need those organisations to get on and sort this out because they’re not leaving the residents in a very fair position.”