THE comments of Osbaldwick parish councillors Hall and Kettlestring in opposition to the proposed 540-home development west of Metcalfe Lane (Feature and Letters, September 24) are misleading in a number of respects.

Property values may be affected while construction work goes ahead, but the long-term effect of living next to a quality development with high levels of maintenance and management is likely to be beneficial.

Our plans place all housing above the projected worst flood level and propose a surface water drainage system that will hold back off-site flows. We are satisfied that the evaluation of our development approach will confirm that there is no basis for the suggestion of any increased flood risk.

Although some hedgerows will be lost, our proposals retain those of high ecological value and include plans for new planting on and off the site. We propose to preserve all the trees.

The possibility of a temporary construction road from the east on to the site will be explored, but this is not straightforward. It would require planning and highway approval and a temporary road to be built across the green belt. Financial and environmental costs may make it unviable.

So far as I know, the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has not received any letter from the Parish Council's transport consultant taking issue with our approach to the traffic impact assessment. However, the environmental statement accompanying the planning application concludes that the anticipated traffic impacts are well within the acceptable thresholds.

Ian Atkinson,

Joseph Rowntree Foundation,

The Homestead, Water End, York.

...IN addition to producing a planning document of "mass deception" on a "Blairesque" scale, Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust spokesman Ian Atkinson continues to entertain with his bizarre and frantic comments to support the unwanted 'New Osbaldwick' scheme.

The old gem, calling the destruction of historic ridge and furrow meadows and thousands of yards of ecologically rich hedgerows an "environmentally friendly" development, has been replaced by comments telling us that there will be no traffic problems.

Consider that of the four access roads on to the site, only one could be considered suitable to take any increase in domestic vehicles, let alone construction traffic.

The best of all, however, was the recent statement that building on this site would make it "safer" for adjoining residents. Safer from what - vicious gangs of rabbits, perhaps?

No, such statements show the contempt J.R. Housing Trust have for surrounding communities.

M Warters,

Yew Tree Mews,

Osbaldwick Village, York.

Updated: 11:53 Wednesday, October 01, 2003