DEVELOPERS have unveiled the first phase of major housing plans that could see 1,800 homes built on the southern edge of Beverley over the next 15 years.
Beverley firm Lovel Developments is preparing to submit an application to build the first 180 homes on land behind Keldmarsh Primary School. It would be followed by further phases, taking housing up to the town's new southern bypass.
Dozens of residents got their first glimpse of the proposals at a public exhibition held at the school on Wednesday.
Philip Lovel, managing director of Lovel Developments, vowed residents' feedback would help shape plans for the land, which is earmarked for housing in East Riding Council's draft Local Plan.
He said: "We hold these events because we are committed to working with the community and we want to know what people think about the plans.
"The exhibition was well attended and people raised the sort of questions we expected."
The amount of housing, traffic and flood risk were among issues raised.
Long Lane resident Sue Bates said: "The council is building the southern relief road to get traffic out of Beverley and now they are looking at having 1,800 houses built behind it.
"I am against development on this scale and I'm not happy about the traffic it would mean for Long Lane."
Resident Les Booth, of Long Lane, said: "They will be building in an area that is congested already.
"The council is putting in a bypass to relieve Beverley of traffic and now they are going to congest it with more traffic. I don't see the logic in it."
Resident Pam Worthy, of Long Lane, said: "They are just spoiling a lovely town.
"We are all concerned, it just too big a scale."
Resident Ian Potter, who attended the exhibition with his wife Janet, said: "This development will happen.
"We have no particular objection to development but we are very keen to see it done in a sensitive way."
He also raised concerns about flood risk.
He said: "This land is on a flood plain. Water stands on the fields for long periods, so if it is pushed off hard-standing the becks will need to be upgraded to take all of that."
Mr Lovel insisted his firm would work with the community to produce a scheme people find acceptable.
He said: "We expected people to ask about such issues as drainage, traffic and provision of affordable housing. We are confident we have addressed any concerns.
"We also demonstrated that the overall project will bring significant public open space and community facilities, in the shape of a new primary school.
"The feedback we have received will help us prepare an outline planning application, which we hope to submit in August."
