THE crucial York Central development is not certain to go ahead, the leader of City of York Council warned today.

Dave Merrett said there was a long way to go before the multi-million pound housing and business development, behind York Station, became a reality.

He accused opposition leader Steve Galloway of gambling York's future on the site by relying on it to provide 3,000 of the 5,200 new homes the city is expected to need between now and 2025.

Providing new homes on brownfield sites like York Central is a main point of the Liberal Democrats' local election manifesto. They say this would take pressure off the city's draft Green Belt.

But Coun Merrett said complicated decontamination, access and transport issues need to be resolved before York Central could go ahead

He said: "Funding those will depend primarily on market conditions which no one can ever predict with absolute certainty," and warned against putting "all our eggs in one basket".

But Coun Galloway hit back, saying York Central had seen hundreds of thousands of pounds invested in the planning process, and it had to go ahead.

"It is a jewel of an opportunity. It has been left derelict and underdeveloped for three decades," he said.

Coun Galloway said the bulk of York's housing needs could be provided by York Central, adding: "It is preposterous of Dave Merrett to suggest that any gamble is being made. If he has no confidence in the York Central proposals he should say so."

Conservative leader John Galvin said: "I support common sense, and as far as I am concerned the city council is right. Councillor Galloway is gambling on York Central being approved."

The York Central proposals go before city planners for the first time tomorrow.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, April 23, 2003