PUBLIC opinion can be a boulder to push against.

So plans to move the Arc Light Centre for the homeless from Leeman Road to a former school were always going to be difficult to sell to local residents.

It is a sad comment on society that a hostel such as the Arc Light Centre is even needed - but it certainly is. Ambitious new plans to improve what the centre can offer would provide the city's homeless people with a 35-bed centre with a wide range of social and medical facilities.

Few York residents would deny that such a modern, forward-looking facility should be welcomed - but the trouble is that not many would want it anywhere near where they live.

So it is proving with plans to move the homeless charity to the former Shipton Street School in Clifton. Most local residents are vehemently against the proposal and last night set up a task force to fight the plans.

While residents accept the need for such a centre, they feel this is an inappropriate place for it. A petition to that effect has already been signed by 2,000 people.

Some believe their community is too fragile to sustain such a centre for the homeless, arguing that the area already has problems with drug and alcohol misuse, as well as antisocial behaviour.

Jeremy Jones, the director of Arc Light, has an extremely tough job on his hands to sell the idea to local people. It is hard not to concede this is a good and worthwhile scheme being suggested for the wrong place.

Updated: 10:36 Tuesday, August 02, 2005