THE rush to fulfil York's desperate housing need has not come without a price.

City of York Council officers have attacked the approach of some developers to planning conditions at construction sites, which are set to maintain the quality of life for local residents.

Contractors have allegedly continued to carry out work before and after agreed times - despite repeated warnings.

But the council, which has long been under-resourced in this area, is now fighting back. A new "get tough" policy has been adopted with the appointment of a new planning enforcement officer.

Action has or is set to be taken at ten sites across York in recent months because of breached planning conditions.

Six owners of the sites have been served with enforcement notices after they were found to have built in the green belt without planning permission.

Four developers have either been served with breach of condition notices or will receive them next week.

The notice is served after several warnings when contractors are believed to have continued to work outside agreed hours.

If breaches of either type of notice continue, then the council can take court action which may lead to fines or even prison.

In Bull Lane, off Lawrence Street, residents claim Barratt's luxury housing development is making their lives a misery.

Roy McGregor and Dennis Pearson, who run a guest house in Bull Lane, have complained to the council more than 20 times about builders.

They say work has started as early as 6.30am and finished as late as 9.30pm, which has disturbed guests.

The developer, which will be served with a breach notice, has now accepted sub-contractors worked outside the agreed hours and apologised to residents.

The nearby Persimmon Homes 252-house development has also come under fire.

The developer will be served with a breach of conditions notice, following repeated warnings about working outside agreed hours.

The council's crackdown has also extended to other areas in which people breach planning controls - from overgrown, unsightly gardens to garish shopfronts.

Micklegate's new fun pub, Rumours, is being forced to tone down its bright paintwork as it is deemed "out of character" for what is a Grade II listed building. Officers also ordered Shoe Carnival, in Pavement, York, to tone down its "garish" shop front as it was deemed not in keeping with the area.

Nearby traders said it was a "tacky monstrosity".

Cliff Carruthers, the council's head of development control, said: "We want people to know we mean business. The extra staff have enabled us to concentrate our efforts on this area much more."

Updated: 11:36 Friday, December 06, 2002