CONTROVERSIAL proposals to relocate a York homeless centre to a new base in Fishergate have been submitted to planners.

The application to demolish the Fishergate Centre, near Castle Mills Bridge, and build a new 22-bedroom hostel for the homeless looks set to run into fierce opposition from a pub and nearby residents.

The three-storey complex would replace the Peasholme Centre, in Peasholme Green, which City of York Council wants to shut to make way for the Hungate development, including a £30 million new council office complex.

The council agreed on 4 Fishergate last year after ruling out an alternative location at the former Monk Bar Garage, in Lord Mayor's Walk, because of its position next to the city walls.

But Gary Miller, landlord at the Masons Arms pub, situated next door to the proposed centre, said he had concerns the council's planning department would be biased in favour of the application.

"It's just a different department at the same council, isn't it?" he said. "Obviously, they aren't independent are they?"

He said he needed to study the application in detail, but would probably organise a petition against it.

He believed customers would sign the petition, as they shared his concerns the council would be wasting public money and residents from the hostel might go into the pub, despite assurances from the council that they would not.

Resident Alan Hymer, of nearby Fewster Way, claimed last year the centre would attract an "undesirable element, those who have no wish to alter their lifestyle and are generally a public nuisance."

He said it would affect house values in the area.

A report accompanying the new application said the existing building needed to be demolished rather than refurbished because it had structural defects.

It said the proximity of the site to the River Foss meant there was a high likelihood of flooding, and better access into the site was needed.

A council spokeswoman said the authority had to go through the same rigorous planning process as any other applicant.

"The decision will be made by an independent planning committee at an open meeting in the usual way," she said.

"The application has been made by the Housing and Adult Social Services directorate, which is a completely different area of the council to the planning department, which sits within City Strategy."