A FATHER is calling for developers to rehouse families during the next phase of a controversial York decontamination project.

Alastair Robinson evacuated his family during the night from their home near Heworth Green last year, during work to clear up part of the heavily-polluted former gasworks site, which is being redeveloped for housing.

He feared that gases coming off the site not only caused odour problems in the area, but might also put the health of his children at risk, despite assurances from council chiefs.

Now planners are set to consider proposals to redevelop another part of the site later this month.

Mr Robinson says he is going to write to all committee members to ask them to make it a condition of planning permission for the developers to have to rehouse those families who want it, when the worst odours are being generated.

He said the council had refused to give categorical assurances that there would be no long-term health implications for his two young daughters. Not only that, but his wife had been told by their GP that she had "reactive airways", which explained why she had been affected badly last time round.

"I now believe that the only way to retain our sanity is to be removed from the situation while the worst is going on," Mr Robinson said.

He believed very few residents would want to take up rehousing, it was likely to be for only six to eight weeks, and the costs would be very small when set against the money to be made from developing the site.

But a City of York Council spokeswoman today dismissed his demands, saying: "There are no provisions under current environmental or planning laws that would allow City of York Council to require a developer to temporarily rehouse residents who might be affected by the development of a site.

"It would therefore be inappropriate to try and impose a condition of this nature on any planning approval, particularly as the applicant could lodge a successful appeal. As a result, this matter will not be included in the planning committee report for Heworth Green."

She added: "It is important to make clear that the development of Heworth Green is still only a proposal and that the current planning application is only for outline permission.

"With any development of this scale and nature, there is the potential for the generation of noise, dust and odours.

"Should the proposed development at Heworth Green be approved, the council will use existing legislation to ensure that the work does not create a statutory nuisance."

Updated: 10:19 Thursday, February 10, 2005