A DEVELOPMENT to transform a former food factory into 60 homes has raised safety concerns about an improved crossing zone nearby.

Althought councillors widely supported the development, planning chiefs deferred a decison to convert the former Del Monte site, at Skelton Park Trading Estate, because they fear a proposed toucan crossing on the A19 does not do enough to protect the elderly or the disabled.

Despite the orginal plans agreeing to reduce the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph, and putting a deeper crossing island in place on the Shipton Road - which has stood empty since April 2012 - City of York Council's Planning Committee decided the plans needed to be looked at again.

Cllr Nigel Ayre said: "I'm not entirely convinced anyone in a wheelchair would stand a chance of getting across Shipton Road or someone with a visual impairment who needs to touch the bottom of the toucan crossing to know whether it was there or not would have no chance of getting across.

"We are basically saying that without that we are precluding anyone with a disability from living on that development."

Cllr Tracey Simpson-Laing added: "On the whole I welcome the developmet because it’s using a site which is redundant.

"That section of road is awful and if I’m a fit person and I struggle to get across it anyone with a disability, at 40mph, is going to struggle."

Sophie Taylor, the agent for the development, added: "The highways officer is fully in agreement with what we have proposed.

"You have only got to cross one lane of traffic as opposed to two."


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