RESIDENTS have started drawing up petitions over proposals to build a new homeless centre near their homes.

Clifton Residents' Association met yesterday to discuss a proposal from the York Arclight Project to City of York Council to build a new homeless hostel at the former Shipton Street School in Clifton, York.

Arclight, which is currently based in Leeman Road, has secured Government funding for a new building.

A decision on the future of the Shipton Street School site is due to be made by councillors in September.

But local Labour councillors and members of the residents' association have expressed concern.

Clifton ward councillor Ken King said he reported back from a discussion he had with Arclight director Jeremy Jones to about 30 members of the association yesterday. He was worried that the proposal was a "knee-jerk" reaction to the funding, and said there were at least two other options available - including refurbishing the current site.

He called for feasibility studies to weigh up the options.

"Everyone would agree the Arclight facilities need upgrading," he said. "They are atrocious and need to be upgraded if we want any chance of integrating these people back into society. Everyone would agree that.

"But a knee-jerk reaction because there is some money on the table to look at the first empty building available is not the answer.

"This is a long-term project and requires some proper consultation."

He said the residents did not have enough information available to them.

He said: "They (the residents' association) feel as I feel, that this area is too residential and too densely-populated for this facility.

"If they had all the other options in front of them and feasibility studies on each, it might be that Shipton Street was the best option. But just to put one option in front of them in the form of Clifton and expect them to agree is just not good enough."

Members of the association plan to write to council chief executive David Atkinson and York MP Hugh Bayley to make their views known.

Coun King said some members had already started collecting petitions.

Jeremy Jones, from the Arclight Project, said: "No members of the project board were present at the meeting making it difficult for me to respond directly to any issues that were raised.

"However, at the scheduled open day on August 16 residents will have an opportunity to see the plans and to discuss the project informally with members of the Board, Arclight staff and residents.

"Thereafter any concerns can be raised through the official channels of the planning process."

Updated: 10:19 Tuesday, July 19, 2005