A York house owner who won a council dispute over the height of his property looks set to win the latest stage of his planning battle.

A City of York Council planning committee, meeting on January 3, will consider a landscaping plan, including a row of Leylandii trees, submitted by the solicitor owner of York House, Upper Poppleton.

The building sparked a dispute when it was built with a roof ridge 1.3 metres higher than planning permission allowed. When councillors refused retrospective planning permission for the development, a Government planning inspector was called in and overruled the decision, costing the council £18,000.

Owner Simon Morgan was asked to submit a scheme of landscape works a year ago following a complaint from a nearby resident.

The scheme was submitted on February 15 and indicated a row of Leylandii trees along the boundary with a neighbouring property.

Mr Morgan was advised that Leylandii trees were not considered appropriate in this location within a conservation area and to replace them with native evergreen holly or yew.

After officers met Mr Morgan on site, however, it was agreed the Leylandii would be acceptable if their height could be maintained.

A revised landscaping plan was received in September stating Mr Morgan wanted the trees to grow to 20 feet. The parish council did not object to this but stated immediate neighbours should be consulted.

A letter of objection was received from the occupier of a neighbouring house. It said: "It is not good enough to say that they will be kept under control for there could be a change of ownership of the property, any trees in that position which grow above the height of the wall will limit the light and winter sunlight to the kitchen and there is a conflict between heights shown on the plan and the correspondence."

A report to the planning committee says the intention of the landscaping condition was to screen the extension from the neighbouring property and reduce its visual impact from the adjoining green belt and other properties. It says the Leylandii trees are not considered appropriate in this location but, if maintained at 20 feet, are considered acceptable.