Plans have been submitted for 32 homes in a village near York.

Mrs D Sunderland and Mrs S Wilson seek to build 32 homes on 1.26ha of farmland south of Beckside, Elvington, and north of Church Lane.

The site is currently classed as Green Belt, but it has also been allocated for housing under the draft Local Plan.

Planning documents submitted to City of York Council say the city needs affordable housing, some 573 such homes a year, and the site would deliver ten.

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The site is allocated for housing under the draft Local Plan and developing the site would not interfere with the delivery of the draft Local Plan policies.

The outline application said: “The Council cannot identify sufficient land supply to meet housing need over the next five years and this site is an important element of the land required to deliver necessary development.”

“The development should not give rise to any adverse environmental impacts and is located on the edge of an existing settlement. Instead, it offers an opportunity for environmental enhancements, including biodiversity net gain, additional tree planting, and incorporates renewable energy and low energy consumption measures.”

“The development is considered to be sustainable in terms of the economic, social, and environmental benefits to be secured, and it is also in a sustainable location.”

Recommending approval, the application similarly concluded the scheme will meet the Local Plan objectives by delivering housing in a sustainable location.

Although matters of landscaping, appearance, scale and layout are to be reserved for determination, the application showed the principle of development is appropriate in all respects.

The ‘benefits’ of the scheme were of strategic importance and should be given great weight, it continued. The level of harm is minimal and can be mitigated against.

As such, the ‘very special circumstances’ can be shown to allow the development “in advance of the adoption of the draft Local Plan.”