YORK'S proposed Hungate development will involve 720 new homes in buildings up to seven storeys high, it was revealed today.

Developers Crosby Homes say the scheme for ten acres of semi-derelict land between Stonebow and the River Foss is of a higher density than was originally planned - on the recommendations of architectural watchdog CABE.

They say the proposals are very much in line with current Government thinking on the need to create more high quality homes on redundant brownfield sites.

The proposed 720 properties would range from apartments to family-sized houses. Most buildings would be three or five storeys high, but with "a couple of feature areas of buildings reaching seven storeys to reflect their landmark location on site."

The proportion of affordable housing has not yet been decided, with Crosby still in negotiation with City of York Council on this issue.

The company said today it was in the final stages of drawing up an outline planning application which it expected to submit to the council later this month.

It is understood that ideas for work and leisure features, such as artists' living and working accommodation, will also be included in the application. Such ideas have been promoted at monthly meetings of Hungate Community Forum, which was created to give local residents a chance to help shape the proposals for the site.

The company said its outline application had been assisted through discussions it had had with people attending the community forum meetings and also with other local and national interest groups and organisations, such as CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) - which advises the Government on architecture and the built environment.

Managing director Phil Darcy said: "After showing our initial ideas to CABE for the new urban neighbourhood at Hungate - which will be made up of homes, work and leisure space - they recommended that we increase the density of the development and this prompted us to make a number of slight revisions."

He said that after the outline planning application had been submitted, a formal period of public consultation would begin.

"The plans will go on public display and we hope that as many people as possible will take the opportunity to see them and give us their feedback," said Mr Darcy.

Updated: 11:49 Wednesday, November 06, 2002