A RESIDENTS’ group in York is set to oppose planned changes to the gateways to one of the city’s biggest-ever housing schemes – saying the area is being made a “scapegoat”.

The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust is looking for permission from City of York Council to amend its original scheme so more cars heading to and from the Derwenthorpe model village would pass along Fifth Avenue. reducing the number of homes served by traffic heading through Osbaldwick.

Tang Hall Residents Association now plans to lodge a formal objection to the planning application, claiming the new arrangements would put local schoolchildren and residents at risk and cause too much traffic to use Fifth Avenue and Tang Hall Lane once the 540-home development is completed.

Under the trust’s plans, Fifth Avenue would be the vehicle access route for 277 homes at Derwenthorpe, rather than the 185 originally proposed.

The number of homes reached through Osbaldwick village would fall from 105 to 64, while 74 properties would be accessed through Meadlands instead of the 125 dwellings outlined in the initial scheme.

Simon Moss, who chairs the residents’ association, said: “We have no problems at all with the housing development itself, but we do have problems with more traffic using Fifth Avenue, close to local primary schools and a library, and Tang Hall Lane.

“These are already busy roads where the school crossing patrol already has to dart out of the way of traffic, so it’s ludicrous that even more cars would have to use them. Our prime concern is children’s safety, as this scheme will also create the possibility of waste collection trucks, recycling lorries and delivery vans having to use Fifth Avenue.

“We cannot understand why this is being proposed.

“It’s not good enough to say that either Osbaldwick will have problems if traffic does not go through Tang Hall or vice versa.

“Last year, there were plans to leave a local park which youngsters use unlocked at night, and now this – it feels like Tang Hall is being made a scapegoat.”

The residents’ association plans to meet local councillors to discuss their concerns this week.

Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has said allowing more access to Derwenthorpe from the north-west of the development, rather than the south, could reduce the number of bollards needed and create a more pedestrian and cycle-friendly environment.