BRITAIN'S top property developers are circling round an up-for-sale former care home on a multi-million pound York site.

The 3.4 acres of prime development land, in Tadcaster Road, is expected to fetch between £3 million and £4 million.

Planning permission for residential development has already been granted for the site.

The care home used to be run by the Wilberforce Trust and was home to people with visual impairments and other disabilities.

But the trust shut its doors last March and the residents moved to five community houses based around York.

Andrew Hedley, of Blacks Property Consultants, said that 15 of the UK's top property developers had already put in a bid for the site.

He said: "Everybody is saying wow, we are certainly making a bid for this. The main players want to put their flag up in that part of York. It has always been the place where people want to live.

"I suspect that selling houses on the site will be the least of the developers' worries."

Mr Hedley said strict charity commission rules meant he was unable to put an estimated price on the building.

But Ben Hudson, partner at estate agents Hudson Moody, said: "It would be worth between £3 million and £4 million. It is in an excellent location. Tadcaster Road is one of the main tracks into York, and, along with The Mount, is one of the city's most prestigious places to live. Tesco and the sixth form college are on the doorstep and the A64 and A1 are both close."

Keith McKee, Wilberforce Trust general manager, said the money raised would be used to help pay mortgages on the five community houses.

He said: "In recent years it had become evident that the provision of care and support services for younger adults with disabilities within large residential care homes is no longer seen as appropriate."

Updated: 08:40 Friday, November 21, 2003