A YORK nursing home "will inevitably close" after councillors gave its owners permission to convert it into houses.

But members attending a planning meeting of City of York Council stopped short of giving the green light to an alternative application to turn York Rise into student flats.

They deferred a plan to build 26 student flats at the nursing home site in Heslington Road, York, because of concerns that students would not be supervised.

However, moves to convert the home and its associated buildings into six houses were described as preferable by the committee chairman, Coun John Boardman.

"The building has to be used for something. I am not saying they (the residents) want it, but it is better for them than the application considered before."

Owner Tony Hall-Jackson has now admitted that York Rise did not have a long-term future.

Speaking before the meeting, he told the Evening Press he had put in the two applications to give himself "options" should he be forced to close.

But he denied he had yet made a decision to close the home in the coming weeks or months.

John Stone, of Belle Vue Terrace, objected - on behalf of residents - to both schemes citing narrow access as one of the prime causes of concern.

On the students flats application, he said: "Our objections are very strong indeed. There is absolutely no provision for any supervision of those students.

"This is shared accommodation. It will create a hostel for a minimum of 26 people."

Members agreed the fact that there was no supervision for students was a concern, but rejected Mr Stone's worries about density of houses on the second application.

Mr Hall-Jackson said: "Of course I am pleased to have been granted permission. It is inevitable that the home will close, either now or in the near future.

"It can't remain as a competitive nursing home. It is old hat. I have put 13 years of work into York Rise and it has worked extremely well. Sadly, it appears to be the end for many old people's homes."

A third application for listed building consent was also approved unanimously.

Updated: 11:38 Friday, February 15, 2002