URGENT attempts to fast-track cheaper homes into York's booming property market have hit a brick wall.

Opposition councillors made the rare move of calling for special council rules to be suspended for a full debate on the affordable housing saga.

Labour said thousands of families in the city, who could not afford sky-high house prices, had been let down by nearly two years of "appalling" delays introducing a new cheap homes policy.

But the Liberal Democrat executive warned it was now taking advice on whether it needed to consult on the latest draft of the Local Plan.

It said this blueprint for future development - containing the crucial policy to introduce a 50 per cent social housing quota on major developments - could not be adopted piecemeal.

Lib Dems refused a Labour call to suspend standing orders. Now it looks like the cheaper housing policy, doubling the current quota, may not return to full council before April - but it could be delayed further by more consultation.

The row came in the week the Government announced plans to help first-time buyers. An extra 10,000 social homes are due to be built each year by 2008, mainly in the South, - a 50 per cent rise on current rates.

Labour councillors say new ways of helping York residents priced out of the market need to come fast, amid a chronic social housing shortfall.

Opposition leader Dave Merrett said there had been repeated assurances that there would be a chance to vote on affordable housing.

The cheaper housing policy is in the fourth set of changes to the delayed Local Plan - but had already received cross-party support in the third draft and been out to consultation.

Coun Merrett, attacking a decision to pull the issue from the agenda of the last full council meeting at the "11th hour", said: "This is an appalling let-down for people who need affordable housing.

"The Lib Dems say they support the policy- but they keep dodging every opportunity to put it in place."

Labour have called for consultation on the decision to shift the development focus from green belt to brownfield sites in the fourth draft. However, Coun Merrett said the 50 per cent rule was "ready to go".

But Lib Dems said delays had been caused by Labour calling for consultation on the fourth set of changes.

Council chiefs are in discussion with Government officials, and possibly lawyers, about whether the changes could be challenged without further consultation. The meeting heard this would be time consuming and costly, if carried out.

Updated: 10:25 Thursday, February 03, 2005