British Sugar breakthrough

The British Sugar site - where 1,100 homes are planned - will be discussed by York’s planning committee later this week, with councillors urged to approve land decontamination proposals and work for the ground to be levelled so it can be built on.

A spokesman for the sugar company, which still owns the site of its former factory off Boroughbridge Road, said: “British Sugar is pleased that the hard work with officers at City of York Council has meant that the application for the required remediation works can be recommended to members for their approval.”

If the works are approved, a planning appeal that the council had been facing over the decontamination works will become redundant.

However, an outline application for the 1,100 homes is still waiting for a decision, and facing an appeal in a parallel process.

The British Sugar statement added: “The application and appeal in relation to the outline masterplan applications are both progressing and British Sugar is continuing to work with officers to seek approval of the outline application at the earliest possible opportunity.

“British Sugar remains committed to the regeneration of the site and the provision of new family homes that this will enable.”

The report prepared for planning committee reveals the huge extent of the land decontamination work which is needed before house building can start.

It shows that elevated levels of ground gas, ammonia, petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, asbestos and heavy metals have all been found at the site, in a layer of earth up to 13 metres thick.

The remediation plans involve excavation and treating earth, and then reusing it on the site once contaminant levels fall below accepted levels.

The planning decision on Thursday will come just over a month after plans for an access road - running over the old Manor School playing fields to the new homes site - were approved.