HUNDREDS of concerned residents of a town on the outskirts of York have fired off letters opposing plans that could see a huge new housing estate built on their doorsteps.

Haxby Town Council organised the letter-writing protest against plans to allocate 15 hectares of land, enough space to build 600 homes, for possible development.

The land, north of Oaken Grove in Haxby, would be left out of York's proposed green belt, though city planners have stressed no decisions on its future have been made yet.

Between 800 and 900 letters have been sent to City of York Council opposing the move, while a further 272 residents have signed a petition against it.

The proposal is part of York's long-term development plan, aimed at shaping the future of the city.

The letters urge City of York Council planners to add the land to the green belt and so protect it from any development.

Town council chairman Ken Holdsworth said: "We are pleased with the way the residents responded. This is an important issue and obviously one they feel strongly about. One of the justifications for the proposals is that the site is within walking distance of frequent bus services, but the nearest bus route is in the village.

"We believe every new house will have at least one new car and the majority of owners will be people working outside Haxby. The town is already severely congested at rush hour.

"At the moment the town has about 3,600 houses. Coping with expansion by a sixth would be enormous. In the past 25 years, Haxby has expanded enormously. I think almost everybody here is united in feeling they've had enough."

Martin Grainger, City of York Council development officer, said the plan would take the land out of the proposed green belt, but it would be safeguarded until 2011, as if it was within the belt.

He said the land's future would only be decided in 2011. It might be opened up for development if no brownfield sites were available to meet housing demand. But it would not necessarily be needed and the land might simply remain safeguarded.

A major public consultation on the whole development plan was due to start in February, Mr Grainger said.

Residents would have a wide range of opportunities to give their views, while independent planning experts Yorkshire Planning Aid had been invited to play an advisory role, he added.

Updated: 11:37 Friday, December 06, 2002