A THREE-day public hearing has been announced to settle the future of a major housing project for a North Yorkshire town.

But uncertainty remains over whether the inquiry into plans by Persimmon Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd to build 60 homes in the centre of Easingwold will actually go ahead.

Persimmon has lodged an appeal on the grounds that Hambleton District Council has failed to determine its application to develop the current Easingwold Motors site.

It has proposed building 16 houses and 44 flats, including a three-storey block on the Long Street frontage.

Now the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has called a three-day public inquiry into the appeal, which is due to start at 10am on October 3, in the council chamber at the Civic Centre, Stone Cross, Northallerton.

Hambleton's planning committee has resolved to resist the appeal, because some issues of concern remain unresolved, though the principle of the scheme is broadly in line with its policy.

But the council's head of development control, Maurice Cann, said a revised application for the site had also been received, which officers were currently working on.

There was "a prospect" that the fresh application could be passed by the committee when members considered it in August, and if that happened the appeal may be withdrawn.

The other point was about drainage, following fears from residents in the nearby Broadlea estate that the new development might exacerbate existing problems they had with raw sewage getting into gardens during floods.

Mr Cann said those worries would also have to be considered by the council - or at the appeal if it did go ahead.

Yorkshire Water, which gave them technical advice, had said the site could be satisfactorily drained.

"We are trying to set up a meeting with Yorkshire Water and others who may be interested, and trying to get to the bottom of this before we reach a decision," added Mr Cann.

Ian Hessay, deputy manager of Persimmon Homes (Yorkshire) said: "We put in an application which went to committee and was recommended for approval, but the council went against its own officers. We then had another go, but the application was subsequently pulled from the agenda so we have appealed on the grounds of non-determination."