PLANS for a major housing scheme in York look set to determined after nearly a decade.

York-based Persimmon Homes first announced ambitions to build 249 homes off Hull Road before submitting plans for 180 homes early in 2015.

But now the housebuilder has been told its revised scheme, now for 162 homes, will finally come before a City of York Council  planning committee in August.

The move comes after the newly-elected Labour government has announced ambitions to speed up the planning process to ease a national housing crisis.


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Persimmon has revised it plans several times during the application process at the request of city council planners.

The latest plans are for 104 market homes, including 92 houses and 12 flats on the 5.39ha site, currently arable cropland and wooded plantation, with 2.67ha of public open space.

Some 49 of the homes (30 per cent) will be sold to first-time buyers at a discounted rate or transferred to a housing association.

The scheme promises a net gain in biodiversity, all homes will come with EV charging points and low carbon heat pumps.

Persimmon will also make a Section 106 developer contribution of £1.45 million to improve education and pavements/footpaths in the area.

(Image: pic supplied)

City of York Council’s website contains more than 400 documents, including reports,  correspondence and comments, concerning the application.

One comment from Persimmon notes the scheme has undergone “significant changes” during the application process.

Changes include revising the housing types, changing the layout of the development, removing houses with car ports from the scheme and enhancing the glazing of homes, various documents said.

The Press approached City of York Council’s media team as to why it had taken so long to determine the application but it declined to comment saying it was still ‘active.’

Hull Road ward councillor and city council executive member for housing, Cllr Michael Pavlovic, told the Press: “I think you might need to ask Persimmon why it took so long to submit a detailed planning application from when the outline was submitted.

“The site is in the draft Local Plan for housing, and, though the Plan is yet to be formally adopted, it is at a stage where allocated sites are given weight by the Local Planning Authority.”

A Persimmon Yorkshire spokesperson said: “We’re excited to be working to deliver 162 high quality, sustainable new homes in our home city of York.

“The new Government has rightly put housing high up their agenda but this requires support from local policy makers if we are to deliver much needed new housing here in York.

“Allocated for housing in the now well-advanced Local Plan, this site benefits from excellent transport links with Grimston Bar Park and Ride next door.

“A range of properties to suit all homebuyers will be provided with a period of exclusivity for existing York residents and key workers.”

Planning Committee A is due to consider the application on Thursday August 1.