A FORMER York car dealership will be turned into 91 homes after planning chiefs gave the proposal the go-ahead.

The planning committee last night approved the development at the D C Cook site, in Lawrence Street.

The development will be made up of six blocks which will be between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half storeys and will include 12, one-bedroom and 79, two-bedroom apartments.

There will also be 76 car parking spaces and 158 cycling parking spaces and the development will include a play area.

Bellwood Homes will be required to contribute more than £100,000 to for the provision of new pupils at St Lawrence's Primary School, which was expected to be about 20.

As the nearest nursery is full, a contribution of £26,480 was also required for the provision of nursery places.

Officers said the additional secondary school pupils generated by the development would be able to attend Archbishop Holgate's School which currently had capacity.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing said the development was not catering for families by siting some of the affordable housing far away from the play area.

She said: "Block B includes affordable housing which might be for families. I seem to say this at every planning meeting - we are not catering for families."

It was pointed out that other areas of affordable housing in the development were close to the amenities.

Despite the objections the application was passed.

Updated: 10:52 Friday, February 28, 2003