NEIGHBOURS are opposing plans for six ‘eco’ homes in York, saying they will remove wildlife habitat and destroy trees.

However, the developers say their scheme with instead help protect trees in an area damaged by fly-tipping.

York-based Alcuin Homes seeks to build the homes on 1,576m2 of land south of Nelsons Lane, Dringhouses, next to St Helen’s Rehabilitation Centre.

Outline plans submitted to City of York Council say the site is existing backland, a parcel of land left undeveloped after the formation of the Breary Close housing development, located within the Tadcaster Road Conservation Area.

READ MORE:

The application said: ”The site is currently heavily wooded and undeveloped. Unfortunately, the site has been subject to misuse over recent times with fly tipping and delivery drivers using the woodland as a public convenience; with the residents of the existing houses on Breary Close bringing these issues to the attention of the local councillor (Councillor Fenton).

“The proposed scheme will address these issues, bringing much needed high quality housing to the local area and increasing the quality of the woodland to be retained.”

The three-bed semi-detached houses would be at the site’s eastern side, with the lower quality trees to its rear removed. The better trees along the frontage would be retained to provide a treelined entrance and accessway.

York Press: The site of the proposed development

“The new dwellings will aim to be low energy with solar provision, carbon neutral and be of high design quality with the main outlook towards the woodland,” it continued.

Noting the scheme would protect the trees of highest value in perpetuity, the application concluded the scheme outweighed any harm and met local and national planning policies.

However, nearby residents raise fears for local wildlife admit other objections.

Robert Wilson says the design of the homes are out of character.

He also told the city council: “York doesn't need fancy eco houses built on "green" areas with tree preservation orders for middle class people to use as holiday homes or air bnbs York is in dire need for social housing on brown belt land this is why I strongly object to the proposed planning application.”

Donna Hewitt says the site contains frogs, newts, a fox den and a pair of owls have made it home.

Richard Hearn agreed, adding: “We need to stop concreting over nature at every opportunity.”

Ms Caroline Lewis also noted the wildlife and that housing schemes on the site have been refused previously and it was unsuited even to much needed affordable housing.

“There are so few areas of nature left in York - it is essential to secure untouched woodlands in particular,” she said.

The plans, she added, “shows the housing as being "eco" [but] there is little evidence of this - a few solar panels do not make an eco house. The loss of more than half of the trees alone would make this unsustainable.”