AN ENVIRONMENTAL group has criticised new plans for the development of York.

The York Natural Environment Trust (YNET) has claimed the New Vision for York plan, published last week, is biased towards development, and ignores environmental concerns.

But Without Walls, the group leading the project, says the plan is a starting point for discussion for the whole city.

Rory Barke, City of York Council's head of community planning and partnerships, said: "The report is expressly intended to stimulate debate on a new vision for York, to provoke discussion, and the views expressed in it do not necessarily represent those of members of the partnership.

"The report has provoked strong reactions both for and against some of its suggestions, and these are to be welcomed as part of the process of refining a vision that works for York."

York Natural Environment Trust, which is a member of the Without Walls Forum, has distanced itself from the report.

Chairman Mike Phythian said: "The first draft of the report was identified by the entire forum as badly flawed, heavily biased towards development.

"The second report did contain some environmental references, but these were clearly added as an afterthought and came too late in the process to modify the heavy development bias already decided upon."

Mr Barke said Without Walls had set up a new Environment Forum specifically to address these concerns.

The Trust also criticised the role of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as a property developer too closely involved.

Mr Barke said: "The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has supported the project as part of its programme of research and innovative development projects, which it hopes will be of value to policy-makers, practitioners and service users.

"JRF has an international reputation for supporting such work and York is extremely fortunate from their sponsorship of the report as a contribution to the vision for York debate."

Report author Dr Nicholas Falk said: "Our whole work on the project was based around the idea of sustainable, 'smart' development, which would provide the best options for the whole of the city.

"The environment is central to this plan, and we are trying to ensure that all new developments achieve the most for the city."

Updated: 08:02 Wednesday, March 26, 2003