A NEW blueprint for the future of development in York which envisages building 16,000 new homes over the next 20 years has been approved.

Proposals by City of York Council’s ruling Labour group to amend the Local Development Framework (LDF) core strategy and include an annual target to build 800 homes were voted through at last night’s full meeting of the authority.

The document, which also outlines possible sites for business growth, will now go out for public consultation, where residents will have the chance to air views and voice objections, before it is sent to the Planning Inspectorate.

Opposition parties attempted to block the changes, saying they would put the city’s green belt at risk and went against residents’ wishes.

But Labour said the previous LDF target of 575 homes a year was too low and would lead to the strategy being rejected, creating a development free for all in York.

A list of potential sites for more than 8,000 new homes was revealed by The Press yesterday, with two “areas of search” for development north of Monks Cross and east of Heworth Without also being included within the LDF.

Coun Dave Merrett, cabinet member for city strategy, said: “We are in severe danger of losing control of development in this city and we need to make rapid progress in moving the LDF forward as it addresses the serious housing problems we have in this city.”

But Heworth Without councillor Nigel Ayre said the plan would “harm the character of the city” and accused Labour of treating York’s future like “a Carry On film”.

Meanwhile Conservative councillor Joe Watt called the changes were “dishonest”, saying: “Residents do not want this level of growth.” Green councillor Dave Taylor criticised proposals for building student housing on the site of the former Barbican pool and other locations, rather than at the University of York’s Heslington East. He said: “The more I look at this LDF, the more it looks like it was written on the back of a cigarette packet.”

Calls have also been made for a referendum on proposals to use 250 acres of land on the east of the city for 2,500 new homes.

Tom Hughes, of the Meadlands Area Residents Association, said: “When the green belt becomes a concrete belt, it will be gone forever.”