RESIDENTS are protesting about green belt plans which could lead to 600 homes being built in their community.

Dozens of people from the Haxby and Wigginton area of York attended a ward meeting to hear details of City of York Council's plans to take 15 hectares of land at Haxby out of the proposed green belt.

Many spoke out in opposition to the proposals, saying additional homes on land off Usher Lane would lead to unacceptable traffic levels.

Wigginton councillor Char-les Hall, who chaired the meeting, said: "There was very strong opposition. Thirty-six people stood up and spoke.

"They raised everything from drainage and sewerage services to traffic, particularly on Usher Lane and on York Road, where traffic already backs up for half-a-mile from the York Outer Ring Road.

"It would mean, on the proposed density of housing, the expansion of the village by a sixth."

Council development officer Martin Granger stressed that the ward meeting was just part of a major public consultation exercise on the proposals, and a public inquiry would be held in 2003 before any such proposals became policy.