THE forthcoming Green Belt Review is clearly an issue of importance for York. It is imperative that the City of York Council is seen to protect what the free market will not protect, namely the surviving countryside, to 'preserve the setting and special character for York' for the future.

There is no market for this particular commodity because 'they ain't making it no more'.

The council will be under intense pressure to find new building land for both industry and housing.

In this context, detailed surveys should be undertaken of brownfield sites and also vacant office/commercial buildings within the established York boundary, to ensure that no reasonable opportunities for redeveloping such sites (including new green spaces) are overlooked as a first call in satisfying this demand without the need to encroach on the existing Green Belt.

The possibility of selective high density development in appropriate areas of York should also be addressed as part of this survey.

In the end there must continue to be a general presumption against inappropriate development within the Green Belt.

George Wilson,

Stamford Bridge Road,

Dunnington, York.