THE Joseph Rowntree Foundation has applied to City of York Council for permission to build a two-storey energy plant on the site of Derwenthorpe, which will include a wood-burning boiler.

It also wants the go-ahead for a foul water pumping station to serve phases two, three and four of the scheme, and for a new access road in to the site.

The application comes only weeks after the foundation revealed the first phase of the 540-home settlement at Osbaldwick would not start until next year at the earliest.

It said difficulties for people in obtaining mortgages was a key factor in the postponement of the scheme, which has been on the drawing board since 1999, but has been held up over the years by fierce local opposition.

Tom Hughes, from the residents’ association for the Meadlands estate, which neighbours the Derwenthorpe site, claimed the submission of infrastructure schemes relating to stages beyond phase one was confusing for the public.

But Nigel Ingram, the foundation’s director of development and property services, told The Press today that over that last few months, it had made local people aware of its intention to put in a planning application for the energy centre through a leaflet drop to homes neighbouring the site and public meetings.

“The wood-burning boiler would be an energy source for all the homes at Derwenthorpe and therefore is part of the major infrastructure works planned for 2009.”

A resident from Osbaldwick Lane, Dr Malcolm Chase, has written to City of York Council to complain that Derwenthorpe was “proceeding by stealth” after receiving outline consent some time ago.

He said a letter inviting people to comment had been issued on December 23, but only arrived on January 3, leaving only six working days in which to comment.

He said the invitation letter had been “opaque,” with Derwenthorpe not even mentioned, nor the fact that the proposed building was for a biomass heating facility with a visitor centre and viewing gallery, and the issue of visitor parking had not been addressed. He said he fully supported the aspiration to maximum energy efficiency, but the way the council was proceeding looked “shifty and evasive”.

Mike Slater, assistant director for planning and sustainable development at the council, said: “The planning application has been given extensive publicity including sending letters to 85 local residents, taking out an advert in The Press and putting up four site notices on January 9 which invite comments from the public to be submitted by January 30.

“We expect that the application will go to east area planning on February 5 and we would appreciate comments from interested parties to be sent in to us as soon as possible – all comments that arrive with us before that date will be considered.

“The letter Dr Chase received was, we understand, printed and dispatched on December 23. Dr Chase says that he received his on January 3 which is a longer than expected delivery period, even at Christmas.

“Dr Chase has already commented on the application and we have notified him that there is ample time for him to make further comments should he wish to do so.”