PROTESTERS today hope "people power" will persuade councillors to throw out plans for a massive development in the south of York.

Selby MP John Grogan, parish councillors and Fulford residents were holding a second protest beside the A19 today about planned developments for 700 homes at Germany Beck and nearly 50 at Connaught Court.

Almost 50 campaigners protested yesterday, warning motorists that congestion would only get worse if the schemes were given the go-ahead.

Last week, campaigners were dealt a huge blow by a City of York Council officers' decision to recommend giving the go-ahead to the Persimmon Homes scheme, with a new access road.

Residents say the project is "overdevelopment", which would double the size of Fulford and create traffic chaos.

Villager Ivor Lord, 74, said: "I think the council ought to listen. They don't always want to listen, but this is the only way - people power."

Planners received hundreds of objections to the scheme, including a petition signed by 719 residents, a petition on behalf of residents in Fulfordgate and another from householders in Fordlands Road.

Fulford Battlefield Society, which believes a major conflict between Vikings and Saxons took place on the Germany Beck site on September 20, 1066, has also opposed the development.

Keith Aspden, ward councillor for Fulford, who protested alongside the residents, said: "As I have stated on public record at ward committee meetings, I will be continuing to represent the views of Fulford residents in opposing this large 700-home Persimmon Homes housing development.

"I have especially been raising concerns with the single access traffic implications for Fordlands Road, the A19/A64, and whole surrounding area, as well as other issues such as those of Fulford Battlefield Society."

Verna Campbell, vice-chair of Fulford Parish Council, said during yesterday's protest she didn't think Fulford could cope with developments of that scale.

She said they were hoping to influence the council's decision at Thursday's meeting.

"We're concerned because this is an area which floods. We're also concerned about the traffic and also because this was where the Battle of Fulford took place in 1066.

"It is an ancient battlefield. We're just discovering things about it and they're going to build five access roads."

Andrew White, director of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institute (RMBI), said yesterday: "We understand the concerns of local residents regarding the future of Fulford.

"We have been part of that community for almost 40 years, but as a charity we are committed to providing quality care for older people, some of whom are frail or suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.

"We believe that what we are proposing for Connaught Court is a reasonable and appropriate scheme to meet a growing need for this kind of care.

Nobody was available at Persimmon Homes for a comment on the Germany Beck scheme.

Updated: 09:46 Saturday, May 21, 2005