LABOUR calls for full consultation to ensure increasing housing densities on some developments are properly scrutinised have been dismissed by York's planning chief.

Coun Ann Reid, City of York Council's executive member for planning and transport, said the rules being used to determine the height of new flats developments in the city were based on those brought in by Labour when they were in power. "As far as densities go, we haven't changed the rules," she said.

Labour's transport spokeswoman, Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, had said that controversial changes in the draft local plan should be consulted on, before they are adopted for use.

She said: "There is no doubt that York is in need of more housing, but the Lib Dems solution to this is to cram more and more flats into higher rise, higher density developments.

"Just look at the debate surrounding big blocks of flats that has gone on in the last year - it is clear that this approach is going to be controversial at best, and at worst massively unpopular."

Coun Simpson-Laing said:

On the Hungate site the estimated site capacity was doubling from 300 to 600

At the former bus depot on Navigation Rd the estimated capacity was more than doubling from 30 to 70

At Tedder Road, in Acomb, the estimated capacity was up from 51 dwellings to 128

She said: "These changes are hugely significant and we believe it is only right that they are consulted on."

Updated: 10:25 Monday, January 17, 2005