DEVELOPERS are facing a three-year decontamination battle before work can start on one of York’s biggest ever housing developments.

Up to 1,100 badly-needed new homes are being planned for British Sugar’s former factory site off Boroughbridge Road, which has lain largely empty and derelict since 2008.

But the company has revealed that even if its scheme wins planning permission by early next year, construction of the new homes is not likely to start until early 2020.

It says proper site preparation, remediation and infrastructure works will be needed on the 42 hectare site before any houses can be built.

“British Sugar intends to start work on site as soon as possible, once planning permission is granted,” said a spokesman.

“Site preparation and remediation works are provisionally timetabled for early 2017, with construction of new homes beginning in early 2020, once all necessary remediation and infrastructure work is complete.”

He said ‘significant progress ‘was being made towards the redevelopment, which would provide much needed housing for York.

“British Sugar recently met with senior officers at the council to present amendments to the masterplan which address feedback received from both officers and the public,” he said.

“These amendments were well received by officers, and will be presented at a further community forum meeting later this year, to ensure that local councillors and residents are informed of progress.”

York Press:

He said that following this, British Sugar would work with officers to present planning applications at the earliest opportunity and it intended to start work on site as soon as possible once permission was granted.

“British Sugar remains fully committed to the sustainable redevelopment of this key brownfield site.”

Back in 2013, then council leader James Alexander hoped building work could start by autumn 2014.

Council executive member Ian Gillies, who suspected the need for decontamination meant it would be two or three years before any building work could start, said yesterday:”

The sugar beet factory closed in 2007 after 80 years, with the loss of about 100 full-time and 40 seasonal jobs, and demolition work began the next year.

Cllr Gillies said it was his understanding that the land would have to be turned over and then left for a year for any gases to escape, and then the process repeated again for another year, and this partially explained why the decontamination process would take so long.