PLANS to build flats near an historic York landmark look set to get the go-ahead, despite objections.

City of York Council planning officers have recommended that an application to build a four-storey block of nine flats at 23, Clifford Street, opposite the fire station, and yards from Clifford's Tower, should be approved.

The flats, which would be built over an existing single- storey building, would front on to Clifford Street and back on to the regimental museum on Tower Street.

The council has had five letters of objection from businesses in Tower Street, whose main concerns are the design of the new building, and the fact that it could block the light to rooms at the rear of adjoining buildings.

York Civic Trust has also said the design was not in keeping with the rest of the Victorian buildings in Clifford Street, and it would look out of place in the city's central core conservation area.

However, the council's conservation officer says "the new building is designed to fit its context in several subtle ways" and will "fill a gap in the street frontage, screening unattractive views over the existing building".

Concluding their report, planning officers say: "The proposed scheme is not a pale interpretation of what exists, rather it is innovative and bold, but in a way that complements the street and enables the existing building to maintain its character."

Concerns about the number of flat schemes in the city were raised after a plan was submitted for the conversion of the Bay Horse pub in Marygate.

Speaking about that development, the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Janet Looker, in her capacity as ward councillor for the area, criticised the ongoing trend for flats conversions, saying: "It seems as if everything that stands still in York will be turned into flats."

The Evening Press revealed that proposals for 1,000 new flats had been granted planning permission in little over a year in York.

With regard to the Clifford Street plan, officers want to be sure that enough light will get through to the building behind, and a further report will be made at a meeting of the planning and transport city centre area sub-committee in the Guildhall on Thursday.

Updated: 10:37 Tuesday, January 04, 2005