NEARLY 17,000 new homes are to be built in York over the next 15 years, as the city reveals its new housing proposals.

City of York Council has launched its draft local plan, which involves taking more than 800 acres of protected land from the Green Belt surrounding the city to allow the new homes to be built.

The council had originally intended to build 22,000 new homes in plans that proved hugely controversial. But the local authority reduced that number after huge public opposition.

The new proposals involve the creation of a new town of 5,580 homes called Whinthorpe could be built next to the A64 near Heslington.

Earlier this year research by housing charity Shelter showed that just one per cent of homes in York were within reach of a family trying to buy their first home.

The city also supports two universities, with a large student population adding to the demand for affordable housing.

Council leader James Alexander said the plan will help slow down the growth of house prices in the city and make York a more affordable place to live.

But critics of the local plan say it could alter the historic city's unique character beyond recognition.

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said at first glance the plans appeared to show many communities in York Outer appeared to be facing unsustainable over-development.

“On paper the fall in the overall housing numbers would indicate that the council is beginning to give weight to our arguments, however I fear, as with anything proposed in the local plan, the devil is always in the detail,” he said.

“Large swathes of greenbelt land is still at great risk and 80 per cent of proposed housing development remains on the greenbelt.”

The plans will now need to go before the council, public consultation and a government inspector for approval.