HALF a million pounds. That is the likely cost to York council taxpayers of two major public inquiries this year.

A hefty slice of that sum will go towards fees for barristers and consultants to present the city council's case.

The inquiries start in April and June respectively. The first, expected to last for four weeks, will examine plans by York University for the massive expansion of its campus at Heslington.

The second, expected to last six weeks, will look at two major housing schemes - for the 540-home Derwenthorpe scheme at Osbaldwick and the 720-home project at Germany Beck, Fulford.

All three schemes are being bitterly contested by local residents.

City of York Council's executive is being asked next week to authorise the spending of up to £500,000 from the authority's reserves to meet the costs of the inquiries.

A report by senior council planning officer Michael Slater said the lengthy Coppergate Inquiry in 2002, which sat for 35 days, cost the authority about £258,000.

He said the money for this year's inquiries was needed in two areas:

The provision of accommodation, facilities and documentation, and administrative support for the planning inspectors

The presentation of the council's case, including barristers' fees, council officers' time and specialist external consultants.

He said legal costs, including barristers fees, travel and accommodation, and input from the council's legal team, were estimated at £260,000.

The cost of professional and administrative officer support might come to a further £90,000, with another £30,000 for general office expenses such as collating, printing, copying and distributing documents, and £10,000 for accommodation and ancillary facilities.

He said two additional, temporary posts would have to be recruited to support the inquiry - Programme Officer and Programme Assistant, at a cost of £25,000.

Updated: 10:05 Thursday, March 16, 2006