ONE of York’s biggest housing schemes could go to a public inquiry after developers lodged an appeal over the time taken to deal with their planning application.

British Sugar is appealing against the ‘non-determination’ by City of York Council of its bid to build more than 1,100 homes on its former factory site off Boroughbridge Road, which has lain empty and disused since the factory closed a decade ago.

The proposals have been stuck in the planning process since late 2014.

A spokesman said the company remained ‘engaged in positive discussions with senior officers and councillors, with all parties keen to progress matters, and we are hopeful of securing approval from the city council for the required consents in the coming months’.

But he said: “In tandem with this progress, it has become necessary for British Sugar to lodge appeals in relation to the ‘duplicate’ planning applications to ensure that the necessary consents can be achieved within the timescales required.

“This should not prevent the positive discussions with City of York Council from continuing.

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

He said the company intended to start work on site as soon as possible, once planning permission was granted, providing new homes and educational and recreational facilities.

A council spokesman said: “We’re disappointed that British Sugar felt the need to go to appeal given the fact our discussions are ongoing.

“We remain committed to working with British Sugar to bring a new lease of life to this site.”

Independent York councillor Mark Warters said: “It’s pretty incredible that on one of the major brownfield sites in York, the applicant has to appeal against City of York Council for non-determination.”

News of the appeal comes as councillors look set to approve two crucial access roads into the site at a planning meeting this afternoon.

Officials have told councillors that approving the roads will “assist in facilitating re-use of a large brownfield site.”