A CITY centre bar is set to become York's latest late-opening venue.

Blue Fly Pavement Cafe Bar, at 10 New Street, has applied for planning permission to stay open until 4.30am from Monday to Sunday.

The interior and exterior seating areas currently have planning permission to operate until 3.30am, but the outside area cannot be used after 8pm under rules imposed by the Highway Network Management.

The application is to be heard at City of York Council's planning committee on Thursday at the request of Coun Brian Watson, who is concerned about noise and disturbance that may occur.

Officers recommend the planning application is approved on a temporary basis in case any buildings in the area became residential properties in the near future.

According to the planning application, the police architectural liaison officer has no objection to the plans and says crime reduction initiatives have been discussed with the applicant, which will be part of Blue Fly's licensing application.

No written objections to the plans have been received.

The café and bar first opened in 1998 and was opened until 11.30pm. In 2006, plans for an extension were approved and the venue was also granted permission to open until 3.30am.

The latest temporary permission for the outside seating area was granted in March to last until 2010.

According to a report to be heard by planning bosses the premises are currently allowed to trade until 3.30am each day of the week, as there are no residential properties nearby.

It says: "Environmental protection unit officers report that the premises presently plays music which can be heard along New Street well into the evening.

"This would be contrary to a condition placed on all the recent approvals for the site, which reads Any amplified music or entertainment shall be confined to the indoor cafe and in any case shall not be audible at any nearby noise sensitive premises'".

"However, despite this apparent breach of condition, no complaints have been made to the council, and the site appears to be operating without causing any harm. On this basis, it is unlikely that an extra hour, 4.30am instead of 3.30am, is likely to cause further harm."