Proposals for the city's first ever permanent green belt were unveiled by City of York Council last night (Tuesday, February 26) - with recycled land expected to play a key role in meeting the city's development needs over the next 20 years.

The review has been carried out with the aim of ensuring York and its villages' green settings are preserved while meeting its population's housing, employment and social needs.

The proposals were outlined to representatives of key groups such as parish councils, developers, ward committees and environmental groups at a conference at the Merchant Taylor's Hall, Aldwark yesterday.

Councillor Dave Merrett, the council's executive member for planning and transport said, "The guiding principle behind the review has been the desire to protect York's unique environment and rural setting while encouraging sustainable development - the city's ability to meet its own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same."

The council's approach has focused on the views of residents as expressed in a city-wide consultation last May. The review was prompted by the need to decide green belt boundaries before a public inquiry into the council's 20-year, city-wide local plan can resume.

Residents were asked about their general views on land use in York and how they would like the city to evolve. They accepted the need to create housing and jobs but did not want this to be at the expense of the city's natural heritage. The results of the survey were married with the findings of research and Government policies on green belt and housing to come up with the draft green belt unveiled last night.

Councillor Merrett said, "These proposals attempt to preserve York's attractive environment and allow the city to grow and develop. Much of that development will be on land we can recycle but it was inevitable that some existing undeveloped land outside the current built-up areas would have to be allocated for development if all York's needs over the next decade are to be met. Despite this, around 66 percent of the city's housing needs up to 2011 will be met using previously developed 'brownfield' sites - above the 60 percent target set by the Government.

"These proposals are now in the public arena and we want to encourage public debate. We have aimed to take on board what people have been telling us they want in terms of more employment and housing and the protection of our green spaces. Inevitably, however, these have been sometimes difficult to reconcile without some compromise and local residents and businesses will need to see that we have got the balance and choice right."

Everyone involved in the debate will get a chance to comment on the proposals which include:

preserving as much previously undeveloped land as possible by identifying some 100 hectares of recyclable land to provide 66 and 35 percent of the city's housing and employment needs respectively over the next nine years; identifying some previously undeveloped sites for strictly-controlled development with an emphasis on proximity to existing services and minimising traffic impact. Developers will also be expected to provide public open space in any schemes; protecting areas of land which provide vistas of the city and its surrounding villages; reinforcing and extending the city's pattern of green wedges such as the strays and the ings; protecting nature conservation areas with the creation of buffer zones around them to prevent habitats from being damaged by neighbouring development; ensuring York does not merge with any of the villages and that the villages also remain separate and distinct; taking steps to ensure areas at risk of flooding are not developed Previously undeveloped land proposed for development includes sites at Monks Cross and Northminster Business Park which would be used to bring jobs to the city. The council is also proposing that 188 hectares of previously undeveloped sites at the edge of the city, plus one site at Haxby, are designated safeguarded - kept in reserve if they are needed for longer term development after 2011. Presentations will be given to residents through their ward committees and adverts giving information will be run in the local media.

END Notes for editors: In 1999 a public inquiry opened to investigate objections to City of York Council's Local Plan. The Local Plan is a blueprint for development that all councils are required produce and then update every five to ten years. The independent Government inspector felt the city needed to set its green belt boundaries beyond the lifetime of its Local Plan, which is will be reviewed in 2011. Land can only be designated green belt if it meets strict legal standards. However, it is still possible to protect land that fails to meet green belt standards under other planning policies.