A STUDENT housing development - of six new apartment blocks providing 368 bedrooms - is set to be approved by City of York Council.

The scheme to redevelop Frederick House on Fulford Road is not without controversy - some neighbours raised concerns about parking, the size of the buildings and an increasing number of people walking or cycling through the allotments and Walmgate Stray.

The application was considered by planning bosses at a meeting in October - but deferred.

It is now recommended for approval - if the developer agrees to extra conditions.

These include requesting a road safety audit, highway improvements like upgrading pedestrian crossings and cycle paths, and money towards creating a new residents' parking zone on surrounding streets - if neighbours want one.

Students should also not be allowed to park their own cars at the site or within 400m of the flats.

A report for the planning meeting says: "As highlighted during the pre-application stage [the ecology officer] would not be supportive of a new additional access across Walmgate Stray from the from the proposed development site towards the university.

"The creation of an access through this woodland may require the removal of trees, loss of ground flora and compaction of root zones.

"It is highly likely that a new path through the woodland would require lighting that would further impact the habitat."

Previous plans proposed a development with 440 bedrooms on the land - but the scheme was revised in response to residents' concerns.

A decision is set to be made at a meeting on Thursday.