PLANS have been submitted for a new garden village of about 1,753 homes to the north of York.

The Galtres Garden Village Development Company has put in proposals for the scheme to be included in City of York Council's new Local Plan which is set to be unveiled on January 23.

York is currently under pressure from the Government to address a significant shortfall in the current Local Plan which proposes 867 new homes every year until 2032.

Figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) say the city actually needs 1,070, leaving a shortfall of more than 200 a year.

The scheme is proposed be built on land to the north of the ring road close to Huntington and Earswick. As well as more than 500 'affordable' homes the scheme includes more than 290 retirement homes and a 64-bed care home. Modern amenities will support this new settlement including a community hub, village green and recreation facilities, a school, surgery, shops and country park.

The scheme will offer mixed tenure housing with a variety of home ownership and renting options and includes a varied selection of house types, from bungalows to larger detached properties.

The developers say the ‘garden village’ concept is embraced throughout with a landscape-led design which draws upon the classic Rowntree’s philosophy of creating a garden village with a community atmosphere, linked to healthy living, training and education.

Martin Hawthorne of Galtres Garden Village Development Company said: “The City of York has is under immense pressure by the Government to address a significant housing shortfall, particularly for an ageing population and the lower paid. We believe that our proposal will contribute to addressing this shortfall and will help to ensure that the new proposed Local Plan meets the approval of the Independent Inspector.

“What’s different about our scheme is that we are inviting the Council to participate in the design, specification and delivery of the village so that the housing provision serves those that need it at affordable prices or arrangements. If included in the Local Plan, we are able to start the process immediately with land that is available now.”

The development is proposed on 93 hectares of land which is currently closed and private making it open and accessible to all. It will create a new country park and work with the landscape keeping old hedgerows and water courses.

The team is proposing to work closely with the Council to address traffic and congestion and maximise the benefits of widening the ring road in the area. It will use the A64 as a key access road encouraging traffic away from nearby Earswick and Huntington, also residents will have easier access to facilities at Monk’s Cross.

Mr Hawthorne said: “Building in this proposed location takes the homes away from the ring road and uses land fronting North Lane near the A64. The new homes will be out of sight from existing villages of Huntington and Earswick and motorists using the ring road. This is not a case of urban sprawl; the new community will sit neatly in its own environment.

“At the heart of the designs is the Green agenda. The Garden village approach emphasises the ‘human’ nature of village life. Certainly, the green routes, pathways and wildlife will be central to the designs but so will the creation of the village facilities and transport links. These all work towards a self-contained community able to access services without making unnecessary journeys.

Galtres Garden Village Development Company is currently consulting with the council and councillors to explain the benefits of their scheme.