PLANS to build 24 new flats in Heworth have been turned down.

City of York Council's planning and transport (east area) sub-committee refused to grant R Yeoman's scheme to build homes on land at Yeoman's Yard in Little Hallfield Road.

Councillors gave their backing to a report by development control officer Howard Smith, which said that while the site was not in use, it was earmarked to be used for employment use in the local plan.

Currently the land is an open level yard and was formerly used as a builder's storage facility.

At a meeting in the Guildhall, councillors agreed with the report that the development would "harm the employment land supply in the city".Mr Smith said in his report: "The location, in close proximity to industrial uses, would result in a poor living environment and could prejudice the future operations of these existing businesses.

"Allowing the development to go ahead could have a detrimental impact on the adjoining businesses."

He said the operations on the adjoining general industrial sites were not restricted by planning control.

Introducing residential accommodation adjacent to the site could result in sleep disturbance for future residents.

At the same meeting, members passed plans to build 15 flats on a site currently used by Bell Autoelectrics in Lawrence Street.

The scheme had previously been agreed in principle at a meeting in January, but been sent back to the architect for some alterations to be made to the design and landscaping.

The proposed flats would be a mixture of two and three- storey, with dormer windows at the front and back. They will be surrounded by existing flats which are mainly three and four storeys high.

Plans by Antler Homes to build eight flats and 14 town houses on land near the York to Scarborough railway line at the rear of Calf Close, in Haxby, were withdrawn at the eleventh hour.

Council officials had recommended the scheme be approved subject to the developer contributing £25,472 in lieu of on- site open space provision and a further £34,863 for local secondary school education.

Updated: 10:07 Tuesday, June 14, 2005