ARE the people who are leading the protests against developments on the south side of York acting for the good of the city as a whole (April 21)? Or is it really just another case of Not In My Back Yard?

York University is one of the largest employers in the area, providing relatively well-paid, secure jobs and, as such, makes an important contribution to the local economy. The chance to expand this facility should not be dismissed.

Not only will it create many more jobs, but it will undoubtedly attract additional investment from private business to York.

But it is no good to York if all the new jobs go to people who pay their council tax to another council.

The last York urban development plan (UDP) had already identified the need to build more housing in the York district. Surely one of the best ways to help reduce peak hour congestion is to build the new housing as close to both the city centre and expanding areas of employment as possible?

By doing this, more journeys can be made without the need of the car (which appears to be one of the aims of the protest).

Not only does the area round Germany Beck give the potential to fulfil this criteria, it has already been identified in the UDP as one of the few areas suitable to accommodate a large number of houses.

The ability to develop a large number of houses in one area would also allow York council to secure funding from the developer to invest in the local infrastructure, and is likely to be the only way in which they could afford to actually improve the present situation for those who live alongside Fulford Road.

Richard Crowther,

Manor Chase,

Long Marston, York.

Updated: 09:46 Saturday, May 07, 2005