Germany calling

DESPITE concerned residents of Fulford taking to the streets to protest against the "overdevelopment" of their community, the 700-home Germany Beck plans have been given the go-ahead.

The protesters, who are worried about potential congestion and traffic chaos, have vowed to keep on fighting and have called for a public inquiry into the scheme.

It is not the only development in the city to attract a wave of protest.

The planned 540-home Derwenthorpe scheme has been nicknamed Disasterthorpe by furious residents in Osbaldwick, and the planned expansion of the University of York has also got local people in a flap.

But at a time when first-time buyers are struggling to get on the property ladder and the Government plans to introduce schemes to help people buy their first home, is it time that we looked at the big picture, putting York's overall housing needs before the needs of individual communities?

York planning chief Councillor Ann Reid said the development would change Fulford, but added: "Change is not always a bad thing."

She said: "York has a responsibility to its own citizens to ensure that our economic growth is good and that we have a vibrant economy. We also have housing targets to meet

"The problem is people who live next to the field that we have agreed to develop say: 'Why can't you build on brownfield sites?'

"What people don't realise is that we have a very good record for that. When we do build on brownfield, people ask: 'Why do we get all these flats when we need family homes?'

"Any development changes things, but that doesn't mean you should turn it down. Sometimes it's a change for the better."

Committee members secured with developer Persimmon an improved 25 per cent social housing deal, from 130 to 175 homes, meaning more of the properties will be affordable.

They also worked to include a dedicated bus service and a car share scheme, to reduce the number of cars on the site.

But Green Party councillor Mark Hill, who voted against the scheme, described the decision at Thursday's planning meeting as the "latest insult" to the citizens of York.

The proposed site is close to the historic site of the 1066 Battle of Fulford, he said, is prone to flooding, and has poor transport connections.

He added: "Traffic was the key issue the planning committee had to consider. The A19 is at capacity and cannot be widened.

"This planning committee has already given the go-ahead to the Barbican and the expansion of the university, both of which will be piling on the traffic at this choke point.

"There simply isn't the capacity for another 700 cars here. And things will only get worse."

Fulford Councillor Keith Aspden echoed calls for a public inquiry.

He said: "The only good thing to come out of the meeting was the 25 per cent affordable housing, but apart from that all the main issues remain.

"Although I understand the need for the council to meet its housing targets laid down by central Government, I hope, and am sure, that all of the interested groups in the local community will now work together in calling for a public inquiry.

"If we continue to work together to highlight the key negative factors with this development it will have a greater impact."

Coun Reid said the site had been allocated for housing more than a decade ago, and the council had already removed other threatened greenfield sites, including ones in Clifton Moor, Chapelfields and Haxby, from the list of potential development areas.

The seriousness of York's housing need was disputed at Thursday's meeting.

Stephen Kenwright, chairman of Fulford Parish Council, said the city's medium-term housing need could be met without Germany Beck and Derwenthorpe, and homes should be built in south and west Yorkshire where there was more demand.

He said: "One fell swoop with one massive project will have little impact on the city's overall housing needs." He added that because of its closeness to the A64, Germany Beck would attract commuters to Leeds, and would not help local house hunters.

But Liberal Democrat city council leader Steve Galloway said York was likely to need between 400 and 600 new homes each year for the next two decades.

He said: "We have a strategic plan which we are drawing together. We are expecting within the next month or two final indications of what York allocations will be for housebuilding for the next 20 years.

"The demographics of the city are changing - more people are living by themselves or with one other person.

"The York Central site will provide space for 3,000 homes, but not until 2010 or 2011 at the earliest."

Ian Hessay, managing director of Persimmon Homes, said that as a housebuilder he was fulfilling a real need.

He said: "Our original brief was 600 dwellings and the council subsequently increased that to 700 homes, which was in line with Government guidelines.

"These houses have to be located somewhere. "The situation in York is that wherever you develop there is going to be congestion. It doesn't matter if it's Tadcaster Road or Shipton Road, it's the same situation.

"There's no doubt there's been a lack of investment in the infrastructure by central Government for a number of years, and some time it's going to come home to roost."

Updated: 08:41 Monday, May 30, 2005