THE York Trade Union Council (TUC), says it is "gravely concerned" over plans to build houses on barracks in the city.

As reported in The Press last week, plans are being considered to build new homes on the barracks sites in Strensall and Fulford as part of the long overdue York Local Plan.

The plans were criticised by York Central MP Rachael Maskell, and a spokesman for the TUC said the council appeared to be "contradicting the council resolution agreed at the March 2017 Full Council meeting which stated City of York Council’s opposition to the closure of the barracks and to lobby support from the two local MPs in Parliament to protect the jobs and the local economy".

He said: "York TUC felt the resolution was so vital to York that we spoke in support of it at the meeting, expressing the importance of these facilities for both the city and the national interest.

"We will continue to campaign to save the barracks because we have not seen any evidence to show this plan is in the interest of the city or defence. We would expect the council to produce a long term employment plan in association with MOD’s social and economical impact statement. The council should be reviewing the investment appraisal that justify the closure and relocation of the work as part of the council’s resolution agreed at the full council meeting last March."

The spokesman said the TUC supported the need for new social and affordable homes in the city, but said the loss of business generated by the MOD sites would greatly impact the city.