I WOULD like to respond to David Smith's letter in relation to planning density levels (November 30).

The Draft Local Plan - Fourth Set Of Changes is the tool that City of York Council uses for development control purposes in planning.

It states: "Applications for all new residential developments, dependent on individual site circumstances and public transport accessibility, should aim to achieve net residential densities of greater than: 60 dwellings per hectare in the city centre; 40 dwellings per hectare in the urban areas; 30 dwellings per hectare elsewhere in the City of York".

The development in Copmanthorpe falls within this criterion and there were no legal reasons to reject the application.

My concern will continue to be that developments in the city centre are reaching density levels of 120-plus with little or no amenity space and at levels of six and seven storeys.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing,

Labour spokesperson for planning & transport,

City of York Council,

Salisbury Road,

York.

Updated: 11:06 Thursday, December 08, 2005