THE lack of progress on the former gasworks on Heworth Green highlights one of the many flaws with Labour’s ill-thought-through local plan (Letters, March 12).

Nothing has happened on the main part of the site, much in need of redevelopment, during the tenure of this Labour administration.

Developers are, however, busy on surveys and other pre-planning work on green-belt land up the road from Heworth Green on Stockton Lane.

This is a direct result of Labour’s policy of offering up easily developed green-belt land to willing developers.

Under Labour’s proposals, over the lifetime of the local plan green-belt sites will be bulldozed while little happens to brownfield sites. Then at the end of the plan developers will ask for even more greenbelt land to be released.

This is why the plan needs to prioritise the use of available brownfield land first. Developers and land owners are commercial entities who understandably pursue what is in their commercial interest.

The local authority is the custodian of the city and must seek to protect it. Policies should be for the best interests of residents, not to give a quick buck to developers.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, Liberal Democrat, Heworth Without, Galtres Road, York.