DEVELOPERS are targeting a huge area of farmland for 750 homes beyond Beverley's new bypass, on the southern outskirts of the town.
Residents will get a chance to have a say on the proposal on Tuesday, when major changes to a draft blueprint for the town's future are put on show by East Riding Council.
Developers want the council to allocate 100 acres of land at Bramble Hill Farm for 750 homes in the authority's draft Local Plan.
The developers claim the land – east of the A164, opposite Morrisons – is "an appropriate site" to help meet local housing needs.
But the council, which has already identified 23 town sites for 3,400 new homes, is not proposing to add the 100-acre farmland to the list of potential building sites.
Council planning policy manager Stephen Hunt said the authority does not intend to allocate land for new homes beyond the line of the town's £22m new southern bypass.
He said: "We have assessed the site and don't believe it is suitable for development.
"The southern relief road provides a natural boundary to development.
"We feel there are suitable development options within the confines of the relief road and the town and that we don't need to allocate land beyond the relief road."
The council has added two sites to the original 21 potential development sites previously earmarked in the draft Local Plan.
The extra sites would take 88 homes north of Poplars Way and 16 homes on brownfield land in Holme Church Lane.
It is understood the council is also looking to cut as many as 200 homes from the 2,500-plus earmarked for sites in southern parts of Beverley.
Alterations to the draft Local Plan, which will guide town development over the next 15 years, follow months of public consultation.
More than 400 comments from residents, landowners and developers have been taken into account.
Mr Hunt said: "A lot of residents have raised objections about the level of development that could take place over the next 15 years.
"Concerns have been raised about the impact development would have on things like traffic, the capacity of schools and the waste water treatment works, as well as jobs and the level of services and facilities.
"A number of house-builders have also suggested Beverley is a high- demand area and that we should allocate more sites. The council is seeking to address as many of these concerns as it possibly can."
Beverley Friends of the Earth spokesman Bill Rigby wants the council to resist further pressure to build on the town's green fields.
He said: "The amount of land allocated already is far in excess of what we think is reasonable for the town and its infrastructure.
"Developers are just making a speculative punt. It will be pleasing if the council exhibits a bit of control and inhibits attempts to develop to such an extent."
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Changes to the draft Local Plan, which will guide development across the East Riding for the next 15 years, go on show next week.
Beverley residents can see the plan for the town at the Treasure House on Tuesday, from 2pm to 7pm. This will include the proposal to earmark land at Bramble Hill Farm for 750 homes.
There will be 2pm to 7pm sessions on the plan for other areas at: Hessle Town Hall and Snaith Town Council Office on Monday; Bridlington Spa on Tuesday; Goole Library on Wednesday; Keyingham and Stamford Bridge village halls on Thursday; and Cottingham Methodist Church and Driffield Library on Friday.
