THE latest stage of consultation over York's Local Plan is to launch next week.

City of York Council will launch the six-week long "Further Sites Consultation" on Wednesday, June 4, giving people the opportunity to comment on major plans for housing, transport and employment developments in York over the next 15 years.

The process is looking for public views on new sites for development around the city, including housing and Travellers sites, and changes to areas already proposed in the Local Plan's initial phase, consulted on last summer.

With more than 5,000 responses, the initial city-wide consultation was the biggest the city council has ever seen.

Cllr Dave Merrett, the cabinet member responsible for planning, said: “It’s important to test the new sites that came forward during the consultation as well as previously rejected sites with the new evidence, to enable these to be given equal and fair consideration.

"Public consultation is an important part of the Local Plan process and members of the public must be able to have the opportunity to have their say on any significant changes to sites proposed that have emerged, particularly strategic allocations.

“Further work has also been carried out in relation to sites for safeguarded land, Gypsy, Roma & Traveller and Travelling Showpeople. We need to ensure the views of the public are obtained on this new work to take this plan forward to the preferred options stage.”

But since then a number of controversial sites have been added or altered on the Local Plan proposals - including the Whintorpe township near Elvington, a large development north of Clifton Moor, and solar farms.

Travellers' and showpeople's sites across the city are part of the consultation with several earlier schemes to be removed or withdrawn by landowners, but possible new sites in Elvington have been introduced or expanded.

Besides housing, educational sites including university expansion and transport sites, like new Park and Ride schemes are also included.

The documents will be available online at york.gov.uk/localplan or at the council’s West Office’s and libraries around York. There will also be public exhibitions at: B & Q on Hull Road on Tuesday, June 10 from 2.30-7.30pm; at Monks Cross Shopping Park car park on Thursday, June 26 from 2.30pm to 7.30pm; and in Parliament Street on Wednesday, July 2 from 10am-4pm.