A visionary 21st century community to be built on the outskirts of York will cost the city council up to £3 million for cutting-edge design features.

The cash will be freed up by the sale of land that makes up the New Osbaldwick development, near Osbaldwick and Tang Hall.

The Metcalfe Lane development is being hailed as the community of the future, incorporating affordability, community values and public safety.

It is hoped it will integrate into the existing neighbourhood.

Funding for the £40 million development will come from City of York Council and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

A report to the council's policy and resources committee meeting on Tuesday, says that the council should agree to fund up to £3 million "as the cost to the authority of innovative design features".

These include building energy-efficient homes, minimising traffic and designing crime prevention features.

The report says: "The ambitions for the development of this land go beyond what would normally be expected.

"Its aim is to develop a visionary community in which people will want to live, providing homes which are affordable, well designed and that meet the standards of the 21st century.

"It will develop a setting which values ecology and wildlife and that is safe and secure, where car traffic is minimised and other forms of transport predominate.

"This will all be developed in a sustainable way, thereby creating a community which works that will be seen as a model for the future."

The report recommends that the council dispose of the land piecemeal.

Roy Wallington, head of strategy and commissioning at the council, told the Evening Press that they expected to bring in more than the £3 million from the sale of 49 acres of council land at the site.

The Rowntree Foundation has pledged £70,000 for the initial planning process, with the promise of £100,000 more for community development work.