A ROOM with a view of York's historic Shambles will soon be available to lucky tenants - at a price of only £50 a week.

For flats above shops along the world-famous medieval street are being converted by the City of York Council and Ryedale Housing Association.

And with York's average rent for a one-bedroom flat being anywhere between £60 and £100 per week, the deal the partnership is offering seems too good to be true.

But the Housing Association is serious about the plans to convert the upper floors of retail properties at 28 and 45-47 on the street, made famous as the home of Yorkshire martyr Margaret Clitherow, who was crushed to death for refusing to renounce her Catholic faith.

The association will lease the buildings on a 21-year term from the council's York Consultancy Group.

At number 28, the rooms above the former Himsworth's Jewellery shop will provide two one-bedroom flats on the first and second floors.

At 45-47 a further three self-contained one-bedroom flats will be provided.

Although in its early stages, planning permission has been granted for the scheme and conversion work is due to start in June. Rents will be around £50 per week per flat.

Coun Viv Kind, chairwoman of the council's housing services committee, said: "As we approach the Millennium it seems particularly fitting that we should see this historic heart of our city again providing homes for York citizens, as it has done for centuries.

"These five flats will provide much-needed accommodation for couples without children, or single people from York's housing list."

And Councillor Peter Vaughan, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the city council, said they also welcomed the scheme.

"It has long been Liberal Democrat policy to get more people living in the city centre," said Coun Vaughan.

"We believe in creating living cities and believe the more people, who can be encouraged to move into the centre the better."

Barbara Miller, of Executive Letting of York, said she believed the £50 per week rent for the one-bedroom flats was very competitive, but said parking space could be at a premium.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.