YORK Council’s credentials over pollution and congestion and its eco-friendly policies are unchallengeable, aren’t they? Leastways, that’s how the leadership seeks to justify to council taxpayers its bus-friendly, cycle-supportive, anti-car initiatives, like the closure of Lendal Bridge.

Why then does the council suggest, in its draft 15-year Local Plan for York, building 22,000 extra homes on the periphery of the city, overloading already traffic-saturated routes into and around the city and destroying swathes of greenbelt land?

The creation of the new towns is unjustifiable, untenable, inexplicable and inexcusable, especially when ‘‘brownfield’’ sites are available within the city.

Unsustainable ghettos of dislocated local communities will overwhelm local infrastructure, cause major traffic disruption to arterial routes, and increase both congestion and pollution. By way of example, the building of 2,200 new homes on 220 acres of productive farmland in the greenbelt area that currently separates Earswick from Strensall is hardly a ‘‘village extension’’ and will swamp the historic community of around 250 homes.

14,000 residents of our attractive and historic city have commented about the proposals, and 536 residents, representing 71 per cent of households in Earswick, have signed a petition against this unconstrained urban sprawl into the greenbelt.

All is quiet at the moment while the council cogitates responses and prepares a final council-approved plan for further consultation in the autumn.

But the residents of Earswick are preparing to shout again, just in case the council have listened but not heard. Are you?

Allan Charlesworth, Old Earswick, York.