CONTROVERSIAL plans for 24 homes alongside a York railway line look set to go ahead, despite the protests of local residents and concerns of railway bosses.

Antler Homes Yorkshire Ltd wants to build ten apartments and 14 townhouses on land to the side and rear of Calf Close, Haxby, close to the York to Scarborough railway line.

A report to a City of York Council planning and transport (east area) committee tomorrow states that the proposal is a controversial one, with a dozen letters of objection from residents claiming that such a high-density building development would be out of keeping with the character of the area.

It said Haxby Town Council also opposed the scheme, which it believed was an over-development and out of character with the existing street scene.

Network Rail also had concerns about the proximity of parts of the development to its trackside boundary, and the council's own urban design and landscape officers had expressed concern about the density of development, and the "unattractive" urban character.

However, officers state that the application is still, on balance, worthy of support, subject to conditions including a contribution towards open space provision and local secondary education.

The planning officer's report states national planning policy encourages the use of previously developed land for housing in sustainable locations close to existing services, and to relatively high densities.

Meanwhile, councillors are also being urged to approve a University of York scheme for a temporary indoor sports hall and a permanent all-weather pitch at its sports centre in Heslington.

The report says that the temporary hall is needed to alleviate some of the current excess demand for indoor sports facilities, following an increase in student numbers.

"The sports hall will address this demand in the interim period up to the development of new facilities on the new campus."

The hall would be made with a 55-metre by 40-metre steel frame overlaid with a white translucent fabric used to form a roof, which would allow natural light on to the playing surface. The ground would be the size of three tennis courts and laid with a synthetic multi-sports playing surface.

The all-weather pitch would be the size of a full football pitch with Astroturf. Facilities would be open for use by the local community and a wide variety of sports clubs.

Updated: 11:00 Wednesday, July 13, 2005