A GROUP of villagers has spoken out in strong support of proposals to designate part of Stockton-on-Forest as a conservation area.

More than 20 residents have endorsed a letter registering their "robust and wholehearted" backing for the City of York Council plans to designate Main Street.

The residents, co-ordinated by Kenneth Jeffries and Diane Robson, say conservation area status would enhance and preserve all that is best in the village near York and help prevent the exacerbation of existing traffic problems.

"The present character and appearance of the village will be a major consideration in managing any future development pressure; ensuring that any new developments will not be unsympathetic to the historic form and character of the core of our village and its backland areas," say the villagers in their letter.

The villagers say they are unhappy with critical comments on the proposal by parish council chairman Cyril Harrison, reported recently in the Evening Press, which they do not believe reflect the views of many villagers.

They say conservation area status may help resist unsuitable development which would otherwise exacerbate traffic problems.

"The volume and speed of traffic within this village is far in excess of what residents consider to be acceptable and safe."

The residents are also concerned about a plague of applications for permission to extend unsuitable commercial development, which they say York council has approached robustly and pragmatically. "Designation of conservation area status is a key measure by which future unsuitable development can be restrained."

They also believe such status will help the council to conserve valuable resources which might otherwise be needed to enforce planning control breaches. "We are confident that council tax payers will, in fact, benefit from a decision to designate conservation area status."

The villagers believe Stockton has reached saturation level in terms of commercial development. "And we fail to see where there could possibly be any need for more development."

The villagers' comments come before a public meeting at 7.30 pm tomorrow in the village hall to discuss the conservation area proposal.

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