YORK'S Derwenthorpe scheme will give more local people a chance of getting a foot on the property ladder, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation revealed today.

The developer has agreed to increase the amount of affordable housing in the first phase of the model village project from 35 per cent to 40 per cent.

It says it will help more people wanting to acquire their own home, but who are unable to afford one at market rates, following the latest property boom.

The extra homes will be available either through shared ownership (part-rent, part-buy) or through a form of discounted sale.

The commitment has been welcomed by City of York Council leader Steve Galloway who has also given his backing to the whole scheme for a 540-home development on York's eastern outskirts, which has come under strong and sustained attack from local residents.

Protesters have been calling for a public inquiry since City of York Council's planning committee decided in January it was "minded to approve" the proposals.

Coun Galloway referred to the increase in affordable housing as "more bad news for the grumblies", and said plans were in hand to minimise traffic impact and involve local people in decisions. He said: "We wish JRF well with this imaginative scheme."

Foundation spokesman Nigel Ingram said the original figure of 35 per cent, which would have provided 189 affordable homes, was set at a time when City of York Council was looking for a minimum of 25 per cent from developers.

But at January's planning meeting, councillors had asked whether it could increase the 35 per cent figure.

He had said then that this would happen if market forces allowed. But he said today that the foundation had now gone one step further by committing to 40 per cent during the first phase of building, involving the construction of 65 homes.

The 40 per cent figure would continue during the rest of the scheme, subject to market forces, meaning that the whole project could provide a total of 216 affordable homes.

Updated: 10:23 Friday, April 22, 2005