A FORMER gasworks in the heart of York is to be developed with more than 20 further flats - after councillors gave the scheme the thumbs-up, despite fears about its "high density".

Housebuilder Persimmon has already won permission to build 148 flats on the former gasworks site at Heworth Green, next to the River Foss.

Members of City of York Council's planning committee have now agreed for a further 24 flats to be built on the site - bringing the total number up to 172.

These will be divided into 122 two-bedroom flats, 47 with one bedroom, and four with three. Affordable homes would all be situated in one block. The original scheme had only four one-bedroom flats, while the vast majority (144) were two-bed.

Permission was granted to increase the size of the development - despite fears that it would be too dense in an already well-populated area.

Labour opposition planning spokeswoman Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing said: "I'm very disappointed that we seem to be back at a site which is already heavily developed.

"If we let this go through, we're open to developers coming back to every application we've passed in this area, and saying they want to put more units in."

Coun Ruth Potter added: "I think it's already overdeveloped - it's already high-density.

"There's a dramatic increase in the number of one-bedroom flats. I think it's a poor trade-off in terms of affordable housing. We struggle to let one-bedroom flats as it is. I can't support an increase in density on this site at all."

The local planning panel at Heworth also objected to the scheme, voicing concerns about the high number of single bedroom flats and the increased numbers of cars which would result.

But planning chief Coun Ann Reid said: "I'm quite happy to accept these changes. It will give more chance for people who are on the housing waiting list."

Howard Smith, a development control officer for the council, said in a report: "This makes the revised proposal a very dense development, but it is fully accordance with the guidance contained in PPG3, and more recent Government advice about making better use of brownfield land through increasing the density of housing development."

The development will include a children's play area, large bicycle stores and spaces for 198 cycles, along with 192 car parking spots.

Updated: 11:11 Wednesday, August 31, 2005