A MAMMOTH debate on City of York Council's future development is expected as council proposals are released for public discussion.

The draft local plan for the city has been agreed by councillors, and details of their provisional decisions were unveiled today.

The draft plan, which now goes out to public consultation, lays out how the city is expected to develop in the next ten years. It includes proposals which have already sparked massive controversy.

Proposals to take a swathe of land out of York's green belt in Huntington for residential and commercial development provoked huge opposition from residents.

More than 1,200 people signed a letter asking the council to change its plans and a public meeting was attended by hundreds.

But the proposals have been accepted by councillors, and are included in the plans now going to public consultation. Plans to double the amount of affordable homes needed to be built by developers from 25 per cent to 50 per cent are also included.

Council leader Dave Merrett said today: "We have tried to respond to the key concerns of what residents have been telling us throughout the local plan debate.

"We know that at least 75 per cent of York households can't afford a basic two-bedroomed property, and this is why we have raised our targets to try to achieve 50 per cent of affordable homes in most new developments."

The proposals will go out for public consultation early next year.

Updated: 16:45 Wednesday, November 13, 2002