PROPOSALS for a £160 million housing development on part of York’s former Rowntree factory site have been unveiled to the public - and met with a positive reaction.

Computer-generated images of the 600-home scheme went on display at an exhibition staged yesterday in the community cafe at Haxby Road Primary Academy by the company behind the scheme, Newby.

The images showed the 116 houses and 484 flats on the empty Cocoa West site next to the remaining former Almond and Cream buildings, which are set to be converted into an additional 258 flats. Nearby stood the modern Nestlé factory.

Newby director Simon Hepden said the company hoped to make 20 per cent of the homes affordable - in line with City of York Council targets for brownfield sites - when it submitted a planning application next month.

The land is already allocated for housing in York’s draft Local Plan, and Newby says its plans will bring “much-needed new homes” for people in York in an accessible location, within walking distance of the city centre and close to a Sustrans cycle route.

A through route across the site will provide a link between Haxby Road and Wigginton Road for cyclists and pedestrians, and also buses if operators so wish, but not for cars.

Young mother Sophie James gave the proposals her support, saying York desperately needed more housing and this development would help meet the need.

She said she had recently bought her first family home but the scheme would help others in the same position.

Sam and Aleisha Madden said they rented a property in the Leeman Road but wanted to buy a home in York and were visiting the exhibition to see whether the properties might be suitable.

“It’s nice,” said Sam. “They look really good.” However, he said the anticipated start of construction work of 2020, subject to planning permission, was a bit late for them, as they wanted to buy by 2019.

Green councillor Andy D’Agorne said it was encouraging to see the long empty site coming back into use and helping to meet housing need.

He also welcomed efforts to encourage residents to use public transport, or to cycle or walk, limiting the increase in congestion caused on local roads.