Barratt the housebuilder wants to create a new estate on the site of the ill-fated DC Cook car dealership in Lawrence Street, York.

Conrad Ritblat Erdman, of Leeds, agents for landlords Legal & General, today confirmed that Barratt is among a number of organisations which have expressed interest in buying the five acre site. Receivers Grant Thornton shut down the premises, with the loss of 38 jobs , at the end of January.

Persimmon, the York-based housebuilder, also confirmed that it had expressed an interest in the site but reported that its bid was not being pursued.

Richard Abbiss, head of retail for Conrad Ritblat Erdman, said: "We are in discussions with a number of parties and future suggested use ranges from residential to car dealership showrooms and yes, Barratt is among a number of interested housebuilders and has made a bid."

He added that there were now "planning issues which we are trying to sort out" although no decision on sale had yet been reached.

No formal planning application for housing or anything else has yet been submitted to City of York planners, said Ian Thomson, the Council's assistant director of planning and design.

Any planning application for housing would entail a change of use on the land which is flanked on one side by a modern White Rose Property Management housing estate in Acomb Road, York.

A spokesperson for Barratt of York said that although it had submitted a bid, no firm decision had yet been made on the buyer.

Updated: 11:14 Friday, April 27, 2001