A York library is stepping out to a new future as a dance studio.

City of York Council has approved plans from the Spotlight Dance Academy at Clifton Library, located on Rawcliffe Lane.

The existing library is due to close on Saturday August 31, with the staff and the books relocating to the new Explore community hub in the former Clifton Without Junior School, which will open on Monday September 23.

A report by city council planning staff says the Spotlight Dance Academy will be moving from its existing studios on Green Lane.

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The internal alterations to the building will involve portioning the main space to provide two studios with a professional dance floor.

The lessons are for children aged 3-18, with the building able to accommodate 15 in the full-sized studio and 10 in the smaller studio, with no more than 55 on-site at any one time.

The studios would open from 4pm to 9pm weekdays and from 9am to 1pm on weekends, with some weekends till 5pm to allow for rehearsals or examinations.

Exterior alterations include installing 1.5m high gates to the pedestrian and vehicle access points and installing 8 CCTV cameras on the building.

The academy says there have been recent cases of children playing on the roof, and the CCTV will also provide extra safety for staff, customers and property.

Clifton Without Parish Council had no objections but requested details on noise levels, adding any new fencing must be hedgehog friendly, allowing them access.

A nearby resident objected, believing the scheme would worsen parking problems in the area.

Planning staff assessed the issues and said relocating the dance studio will enable it to continue “to benefit the local community, enabling and supporting healthy lifestyles, enhancing the sustainability of communities and residential communities.

The planners continued: “It has been demonstrated that the proposed use is unlikely to give rise to significant noise and disturbance in this residential area.

“The site is within a highly sustainable location, which is accessible by walking, cycling (with parking facilities already provided within the site) and public transport along with adequate car parking provision within the site which would avoid the use of surrounding residential streets for pick-up/drop-off.”

This, they explained might encourage dance users to walk, cycle or take the bus, rather than drive.

The rooftop CCTV, they added, and the alterations to the pedestrian and vehicular access gates “would not be visually prominent within the site.”

Therefore, they concluded, the scheme met local and national planning policies and should be approved.

In addition to a library, the new £5.3million Clifton Explore Library Learning centre will also feature offices of three organisations at the site on Rawcliffe Drive, York.

They are: Accessible Arts and Media: a charity providing activities for Disabled people; York Learning and City of York Council’s Medical Needs Teaching Service for children/young people who are unable to access mainstream education.