YORK residents who have been fighting for new windows on their estate have been given a glimmer of hope by council officers.

City of York Council's own plans to replace wooden sash windows in the Navigation Road social housing estate with double glazed uPVC alternatives were criticised by English Heritage, which said that they would be detrimental to the conservation area, which is close to the city walls. Planning officers had recommended that the plans be refused.

Furious residents, who have had to put up with draughty and leaking windows, were prepared to speak out at last night's planning meeting in the hopes of getting the plans passed - and getting their windows as soon as possible. But before they were given a chance to speak they were told that a solution may have been found which would keep all parties happy.

Development control officer Jonathan Carr said: "There's now agreement that the windows will more closely resemble those already there."

Updated: 11:59 Friday, December 06, 2002