COUNCILLORS have slammed calls for independent planners to take over the delayed Local Plan.

Letting a government planning inspector set a housing and development plan for the city over the coming decades would thwart democracy and leave people in the city facing unsympathetic developments and higher housing numbers, members of a key committee warned this week.

The City of York Council’s Local Plan Working Group met on Monday night to discuss the latest problems to face the city’s long term plan.

Since the Ministry of Defence announced the shock closures of York’s three barracks sites, and the Government released new predictions of household numbers, the council has announced a fresh delay of up to six months on the controversial plans.

On Monday night the LPWG members were asked to agree on two new reports being prepared - on the new household figures, and the MoD sites.

Head of strategic planning Martin Grainger had warned the councillors that ignoring the newly available MoD land could mean a planning inspector rejecting the Local Plan because it did not consider all possible sites.

He also said the new household projections give York a higher “starting point” for its housing need, but more research is needed to show whether that means the city needs to plan more new homes.

But Labour councillor Dafydd Williams said the risk of missing a crucial deadline could be even more dangerous for the city.

“It strikes me that the MoD proposals, if approved, would be coming at the back end of the plan. I would be concerned that we are delaying the plan on the back of that.

York Press:

“We could fail because we don’t consider them properly, or because we have missed the deadline. There is a judgement here as to which we are more concerned about.”

Independent Cllr Mark Warters went on to say if York did miss a deadline and see the government step in to write the plan instead “it’s nothing to be afraid of”.

Taking the plan out of council hands would take it out of politics, he said, and a planning inspector could make independent judgements.

His suggestion was blasted by other councillors who said people in York deserved to have their say on where homes could be built.

Lib Dem Ann Reid said: “I don’t care if he thinks I’m being political. This a Local Plan should be decided by representatives of York, and York people.

“To abdicate responsibility and say you that the the DCLG should come along and decide our Local Plan for us is unacceptable.”

In the end, the councillors agreed to new reports about the barracks sites and new household projections, opening the door to another six month delay.