A BATTLE is brewing over plans to build up to 500 homes on the site of a York barracks.

The Ministry of Defence says it remains committed to selling off Queen Elizabeth Barracks at Strensall after it closes in 2024, and it will continue working with City of York Council to bring forward residential development of the brownfield site.

But the council has taken the site out of York’s Local Plan, which outlines where future developments should take place, because of its close proximity to Strensall Common, a special area of conservation.

It says it has reviewed a ‘Habitat Regulation Assessment’ for the area and it still recommends the removal of the site from the plan to avoid adverse effects on the common.

The Government announced in 2016 that the barracks - home to HQ 2 Medical Brigade and 34 Field Hospital - was due to shut by 2021. Its closure was later put back to 2024.

The Press reported last month that the site, where 500 new homes were due to be built, had been removed from York’s Local Plan following concerns about the impact on the common.

A change in policy said homes could not be built within 400 metres of the common - and any non-residential development must be shown not to harm the site, and any housing development within 5.5 km must not have an adverse impact on it.

But now a Ministry of Defence spokesperson has said: “We remain committed to the disposal of Queen Elizabeth Barracks and will continue to work with the council to bring forward this brownfield site for much-needed residential development.”

However, Michael Slater, council interim assistant director - place directorate, said that while the barracks was originally included in the plan in May 2018 as a site for 500 dwellings, an objection was received from Natural England to the council’s Habitat Regulation Assessment (HRA).

He said the council undertook further investigations to understand the likely impacts of recreational pressure as a result of the proposed development.

“The outcome of these investigations identified that residential developments in close proximity to Strensall Common would likely have a significant adverse effect on the common,” he said. “As part of the Local Plan process, we must ensure that the plan is legally compliant with all relevant regulations.

“This means that the outcomes of the Habitat Regulation Assessment must be considered by the council and appropriate actions undertaken.

“As a consequence, our revised 2019 HRA concluded that this site, and one at Howard Road for 59 dwellings, should be removed from the plan, and additional mitigation should be included in appropriate policies.”

He said that following further evidence from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the council had again reviewed the HRA to take into account all available information and the latest HRA still recommended the removal of the sites to avoid adverse effects on the common. It also recommended modifications to other strategic site policies within 5.5k of the common and a new policy for Strensall Common Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

He added that the current consultation was open until July 7 and all responses would be considered by the Planning Inspectors.