KEITH MASSEY is rightly concerned (Letters, March 26) about the likelihood of York’s parishes being merged with city suburbs as housing developments encroach on green belt land.

He cites the example of Haxby and Wigginton. My own suburb of Holgate was once a separate village, distinct from York and Acomb.

Once upon a time, England had a raft of central planning policies known as PPGs –Planning Policy and Guidance. No 13 in the series dealt with land use and transport.

Urban growth was controlled so as to reduce car dependency and maximise use of walking, cycling and public transport. Brownfield sites were always the first choice.

The present Government replaced PPGs with the National Planning Policy Framework.

This contains fine words about sustainable development, but leaves local authorities to determine detailed policies to achieve this.

There is no firm requirement to actively encourage sustainable travel through land use policies.

Hence the door is left wide open for the kind of car-dependant development which Keith advocates, ie a new village by an existing dual carriageway.

City of York Council still follows the spirit of PPG13 by encouraging development of sites like York Northwest.

But the gaping hole left by the NPPF, coupled with York’s absence of a local development framework, makes it difficult to resist the profit making schemes of many developers.

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, York.