An ecstatic group of York residents were today celebrating the demise of a scheme for a six-storey block of flats on their doorstep.

More than 70 people had objected to the development on Acomb Road, which would have involved the demolition of the Victorian Howe Hill Hostel and the building of a 23-flat complex.

The residents of Acomb Road, and of nearby Moorgate and Braeside Gardens, presented the City of York Council with a long list of potential problems connected with the development, including the disruption of the local bat and owl population.

And at last night's planning meeting, members gave the plans by Malton-based Harrison Developments the thumbs-down mainly because it would have affected the privacy of neighbouring houses, impaired the visual aspect of the street scene and overdeveloped the area.

Harrison Developments had been confident before the meeting that they had drawn up a winning scheme.

Spokesman Nick Lees said: "We feel our proposal is in line with both Government policy and York's own ongoing regeneration programme."

As a delighted contingent of objectors left the meeting, the scheme's architect, David Strickland, said: "I am very disappointed. I would think there are good grounds for appeal. The plans were in line with the City of York's policy to build in urban areas.

"It's a shame that election nerves have made the council take this view. It would have been a quality development and there is a high demand for small affordable housing."

But Eric Deighton, whose house on Moorgate would have been overlooked by the flats, said: "I am impressed at the common sense of the councillors. Our privacy would have been significantly affected and I was considering having to sell up, but I'll be staying put now."

Christine Bramwell, of Braeside Gardens, added: "I am very pleased that the bats and owls living in the trees around the old house will now be undisturbed. It's a victory that we have been listened to."

Ashley Unwin, who owns a double-fronted Victorian property in Acomb Road, said that if the development had gone ahead it could have created a chain reaction whereby property like his would be next on developers' lists.

He said: "Should this have gone ahead it would have set a bad precedent. I could have made an even bigger block of flats if I had sold my property to them, but I didn't."

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