DEVELOPERS have withdrawn 240 acres of greenbelt land north of York from the Local Plan process.

The news has been welcomed by Strensall councillors and York Outer MP Julian Sturdy, who have been fighting proposals to earmark the site at Earswick as safeguarded in the plan for long-term development with 2,000 new homes.

Mr Sturdy said City of York Council had received a letter from O’Neill Associates, acting on behalf of developers Thirteen Group, Strata and Southdale Homes, which explained a desire to withdraw proposal from consideration through the Local Plan process.

He said: “This is very welcome news indeed for local residents in Earswick, who throughout this process have shown determination and a real unity of purpose in campaigning against the proposal.

“The Local Plan has suffered setback after setback in recent months, with the revised population projections, the inspector’s criticism of a very similar Local Plan in Durham and the Secretary of State’s rejection of the plans to build 102 houses on the greenbelt north of Strensall. And it is hardly surprising since the whole thing has been built on such shaky foundations.

"I feel this latest development is yet another example of the need for major revisions to the plan moving forward and I am glad that we have a new political administration in the council who are committed to bringing about the change that is clearly needed.”

Councillors Paul Doughty and Helen Douglas said they wished to congratulate residents and action group members who had helped to bring about what was an “incredibly positive step forward” for everyone wanting to see a Local Plan that better balanced housing needs with the need to protect the greenbelt. However, the land currently remains safeguarded for long-term development.