PLANS to close a York day centre for people with special needs and move it to another site reducing its provision by a third have been given the go-ahead.

Council chiefs last night agreed to move Hebden Rise Day Centre to a new site at St Dymphna's special needs nursery, at West Bank Park.

The move will mean the new centre will only be able to cater for a third of the number it currently caters for.

But Coun Sue Galloway, who was chairing the social services and health advisory panel meeting, said she hoped the new centre would be a flagship site.

Hebden Rise Day Centre currently has places for 45 people, but the new centre will provide 15 places.

City of York Council said the new centre would cater for profoundly disabled people with those remaining being given alternative places.

The council said it was needed as the current building at Hebden Rise was no longer fit for use and was expensive to maintain.

Hebden Rise was built 30 years ago and the move has been planned for some time, but delayed until a suitable location could be found.

St Dymphna's special needs nursery has been identified as an ideal location for the site and will be modernised and extended as part of the plan.

The changes are part of a government drive to modernise day centres, moving away from larger centres which can "limit opportunities."

Money from the sale of Hebden Rise will be used to develop St Dymphna's into a "modern and flexible facility".

Coun Sue Galloway said: "I am delighted that we are able to move forward on this. We have been talking about if for at least three years and we now have to make progress.

"I am hoping it will be a flagship for future developments for those with learning disabilities."

Updated: 10:19 Friday, April 09, 2004