Public hearings are set to be held into plans for hundreds of homes as part of a new garden village in York – amid an appeal against their refusal.
Views are being sought from residents close to the proposed site for up to 380 homes, off Stockton Lane near Heworth, ahead of the two-day inquiry hearings next month.
In a letter to residents seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), developers Taylor Wimpey said the plans included community facilities and were part of a 845-home garden village.
They added two traveller pitches had been added to the scheme since its refusal along with a financial contribution to local early years education.
The appeal lodged with the Planning Inspectorate in November comes after York councillors refused plans for homes in May last year.
Plans also include open spaces, sports and community facilities, a shop and associated works.
Those plans would form the northern part of the planned new garden village to the east of Heworth.
Applicants stated the plans would result in a high-quality development providing a wide range of homes to meet the future needs of the local community.
They added the development would feature an internal bus loop and vast opportunities for pedestrian travel would create a sustainable, walkable neighbourhood.
But councillors refused the plans in a planning committee meeting in which Labour chair Cllr Jonny Crawshaw said he could not emphasise enough how bad they were.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Nigel Ayre, whose Heworth Without ward covers the site, said the applicants had failed to properly plan infrastructure, school places and facilities and their consultation was poor.
He added developers had rushed to submit the plans before the previous December while the nearest schools were more than an hour’s walk away.
Jennie Hanbridge, Taylor Wimpey’s agent, told the meeting they had been blind-sided by council planning officers’ calls to block the application.
She added the developer needed more time to address issues raised over the plans and refusing them would be massively premature.
Planning officers called on councillors to refuse the application ahead of the meeting, saying the development did not stand out as a garden village or comply with local policies.
A total of 27 objections were lodged against the application, claiming it would fuel congestion and lacked safe cycle routes and facilities for future residents.
National Highways also objected along with independent Osbaldwick councillor Mark Warters who claimed it would lead to a massive increase in traffic.
The two-day public appeal hearing on the plans is set to begin on Tuesday, 10 March.
The first day of hearings is set to be held at The Milner hotel, in Station Road, with the second due to take place at Friargate’s Friends Meeting House.
