BARRY Potter returns to the fray ("Mother of all challenges", March 31) after the York planning committee overwhelmingly voted in favour of the Derwenthorpe development. He conjures up images of water rats and crested newts killed by bulldozers.

In contrast to those who are criticising the council for failing to get the maximum possible price from private developers for this site, Barry would like it to be used as a wildlife habitat.

The compromise is for an environmentally-friendly development which does not maximise profit but respects wildlife requirements.

Our plans are for about 20 of the 50 acres to be kept green with hundreds of trees, ponds, a special environment for great crested newts, etc.

Power lines will be removed, more paths and cycleways opened up, and the housing built to high eco-standards. As the report from leading environmental campaigner Chris Baines shows, this could be a model development for others.

In weighing the requirements of humans and those of wildlife, a balance must be struck. The 540 homes on this site remove the need for development on a lot of other sites elsewhere. And our emphasis is on family accommodation, not high density apartments squeezed onto small sites.

While we know that Barry will forever champion one side of the argument - and others will call for the council to do the opposite and sell the site for higher density speculative development - we hope our Derwenthorpe plans have got the balance right.

Richard Best,

Director,

Joseph Rowntree Foundation,

The Homestead,

Water End,

York.

Updated: 09:28 Tuesday, April 12, 2005