A HOMELESS hostel in York has been given the green light to open 24-hours-a-day in an effort to prevent intimidating behaviour from its customers.

The Arc Light Project, based in Leeman Road, only lets users in between 7pm and 8am, creating a concentration of people entering and leaving the building at opening and closing times. This has led to complaints from local people who sometimes feel intimidated by hostel customers.

City of York Council's planning committee last night agreed to vary the hostel's planning conditions so that it could open round the clock.

It is hoped that this will reduce intimidating behaviour and allow greater access by specialist medical and support services.

Councillor Richard Cregan, whose Beckfield Ward includes the hostel, said after the meeting that it was a unanimous decision.

He said: "Members thought it was a particularly good idea due to the fact that people had been queuing up outside, waiting for it to be opened.

"They thought it would also stop people congregating at Memorial Gardens if they had somewhere to go. It is a 24-hour proposal, but it's not going to happen overnight because the project now has to secure funding and make sure there are staff to allow them to open through the day."

The planning consent will continue until April 2004 and cycle areas must be created before 24-hour opening can begin.

Updated: 10:48 Friday, September 27, 2002