THE first residents will move in to the development on the former Nestlé Rowntree factory site in 2022.

Plans for 425 new homes on the site at Cocoa West off Wigginton Road were approved by councillors at a City of York Council planning meeting.

But members of the committee said they still have concerns about traffic in the area.

The development will have a through road, linking Haxby Road and Wigginton Road, but it will only be open to buses and closed to other traffic under the Local Plan.

Cllr Denise Craghill, speaking at the meeting, said: “I believe most residents welcome the building out of this site. Traffic impact, however, is still a major concern.

“Levels of parking on the site are still high and I would like to see parking designs revised with more dramatic efforts to reduce car use. We should make public transport as easy as possible for residents to use.”

Cllr Janet Looker added: “I’m still very concerned about the impact on traffic. However wonderful and significant it is going to be will not reduce the level of congestion.

"I think the situation for residents is going to be very much worse.

"It’s going to add to traffic that is already insufferable.”

And Cllr Tony Richardson said it was time to consider opening up the old railway line between Haxby Road and Wigginton Road, which is currently used as a footpath and cycleway, to traffic.

Cllr Ann Reid said: “I remind members that this site in the Local Plan does not have a through route but also that the road is designed in such a way that it could be opened up at some point in the future.”

The plans were approved by councillors and the developer said work would begin at the site in 2020, with the first homes available in 2022.