City of York Council has been quietly selling off the city’s public land and green spots to private businesses.

The historic area of Clementhorpe has been hard hit.

Property in Lower Darnborough Street was sold to a private developer.

More ominously, land along the river was sold to a developer building a huge hotel that mars Lower Ebor Street and leaves it in shadows. The house prices on that street will plummet.

By rights council members should compensate homeowners for that drop in price.

Now the council wants to turn the lodge in Rowntree Park into a holiday let.

These decisions have not been democratically made. Democracy is much more than periodic elections and occasional announcements in The Press.

Were the residents in Lower Darnborough informed that they would lose their sunlight and that their house prices would fall?

Announcements should be widely posted and the local associations should be informed of council plans.

Council meetings should allow for a thorough discussion.

I attended a recent council meeting on Rowntree Park; the proceedings were formulaic, not democratic.

This council needs to be held accountable for its poor judgement.

Clementhorpe may be the first to lose its green spots, but other parts of the city will soon be hurt if the council keeps selling off public land to private developers.

Allison Drew,

Darnborough Street,

Clementhorpe, York