Evening Press Reader's Letter

Last June City of York Council proposed a new community development for York on 53 acres of land west of Metcalfe Lane, Osbaldwick.

I am concerned that the city council owns most of this land and they will also be the developers, and give themselves permission for planning and development.

Last June residents were invited to attend a council mobile exhibition unit in Osbaldwick and were told that 350 homes would be built. At this point residents were under the impression that they were being consulted about the development, and this consultation would continue before any building began. There was no option about whether this land would be built on or not.

A further meeting was held in October 1999, but City of York Council was still unable to show us any definite plans. How could they describe the development as "imaginative" when there was nothing to show, apart from comment cards stuck on display boards?

Nevertheless we were able to speak to the selected planners and again put forward our views. Most of the people who attended this meeting would have preferred to have had some initial plans.

Now we have been leafleted to the effect that the final plans are ready for viewing between January 20 and 24, and our comments required by January 27, and the final selection panel will meet on January 31, and will take into consideration the views of the public.

How is it possible for the council to appraise the public's comments, print them and get them out to the panel in time for them to consider everyone's views?

So much for negotiation, consultation and promises. We are being taken for idiots. City of York Council is playing at consultation once again.

We have seen this happen so often over so many issues that its about time we took action.

Ian Hardcastle,

Osbaldwick Village, York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.