MORE THAN 200 villagers packed a meeting to voice fears over plans to build 700 homes on York's southern outskirts.

Residents raised a series of concerns about Persimmon Homes' proposals for land around Germany Beck at Fulford, including traffic, flooding and bus services.

The public meeting, held at St Oswald's Primary School, Fulford, was one of two special evening meetings attended by the inspector conducting the public inquiry into the Germany Beck scheme and separate proposals for 540 homes at Osbaldwick.

The inspector, David Cullingford, said the meetings were intended to provide people unable to attend the inquiry with an opportunity to make their views known.

He asked Fulford villagers to make their points row by row - by 45 minutes into the meeting, the microphone had only reached the third row.

Residents expressed strong concerns about the proposed 15-minute bus service from the new estate to the city centre along quiet and narrow roads such as Low Moor Avenue, as well as the impact of extra vehicles on already congested roads.

Peter Richardson, who has lived in Fulford for 63 years, suggested a spur should be created off the A64 bypass, and also proposed creating a bus terminus on the estate.

Former St Oswald's Primary pupil Emma Wilkinson won applause by highlighting the importance of retaining attractive green settings within Fulford.

She also highlighted the dangers for cyclists on the A19, claiming a bus had almost knocked her off her bike on a number of occasions. "I don't think Fulford can cope with more traffic, " she said.

The meeting heard that City of York Council believed streets on the route of the proposed 15-minute bus service could cope, and it was proposed to install traffic lights at Fordlands Road junction to help ease traffic problems.

Madeleine Kirk, the Liberal Democrat's spokeswoman for Outer York, asked: "Why have the developers been allowed to include the wholly inappropriate Low Moor Avenue and Heath Moor Drive on the bus route when they are quiet and narrow?"

Christine Dinsdale, of Fordlands Road, asked to be allowed to join the inspector on his site visit to show him certain features.

"Anyone can come who wants to show me something, " he replied.

Councillor Keith Aspden, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Fulford, who chaired the meeting, said afterwards: "I am pleased that local residents got an opportunity to express our concerns as a community about the development.

"I very much hope that the inspector will listen to these when he makes his decision."