YORK CITY today revealed it was backing Arc Light's plans to move to the former Shipton Street School.

The football club said it had been working with the homeless organisation and City of York Council over the past few months to look at ways the site could help its "community aspirations".

If the scheme is approved by councillors, York City will be handed two classrooms within the main school building with direct access from Shipton Street.

But the plans drew the ire of protesters, who said the club was endorsing a scheme which was not beneficial to the Clifton community.

If approved, the classrooms would be transformed into York City branded study centres. The club said they would be equipped with computers which the local community could use.

City also revealed plans to employ a new community manager, and would start after-school clubs for youngsters - inviting schools to the site to promote numeracy and literacy.

The club's new offices for its Football In The Community department would be above the annexe building at the site.

Sophie McGill, York City's communications and community director, said the club would work with Arc Light residents to help them with their rehabilitation and City footballers would train in a new gym - alongside residents.

"The club realises residents are very nervous about the development, but we hope when people see the full extent of the plans and York City's involvement, they will understand this site is going to benefit the whole community," she said.

"Through our planned study centres, which will be located within the main building, York City will be providing local residents and young people with first-class educational facilities and will be introducing a host of positive initiatives, including after-school clubs and healthy lifestyle projects.

"This is a great opportunity for everyone living in the area and we will be working hard to deliver a scheme which benefits all aspects of the community.

"The plans for the site which Arc Light has developed are very good and take into consideration important factors such as community security.

"York City sees this development as a chance to make a positive impact, not only on the Arc Light residents, but the entire community surrounding the site."

But Clifton campaigner Dave Nicholson said: "I can understand the football club's need for classrooms for Football In The Community use, but in order to get that they are going to have to endorse something that otherwise is not good for the community."

York MP Hugh Bayley said: "The football club has supported Arc Light and its residents for some time.

"The decision where to put new Arc Light premises must be taken on its own merits, and I hope York City maintains its support for Arc Light, wherever the new hostel ends up."

:: Homeless centre would 'kill off' the community

TEMPERS were frayed at a heated meeting about the controversial relocation plans of the Arc Light homeless centre.

More than 100 Clifton residents packed into the Burton Stone Community Centre last night to quiz council chiefs, Arc Light bosses and York's Labour MP Hugh Bayley about the scheme.

Furious locals barracked speakers, voicing fears that a proposed 34-bed homeless centre at the former Shipton Street School would lead to more crime and lower house prices.

Campaigner Dave Nicholson, who chaired the meeting, told the crowded room: "Clifton is completely the wrong place for this."

To thunderous applause, he said: "If the council thinks we are going to roll over and take this without a fight they've got another think coming."

Mr Bayley criticised City of York Council's handling of the scheme, but said he "strongly supported" Arc Light's work.

He said: "People have said to me it is intolerable to bring criminals into their neighbourhood.

"But the 'crime' many of the Arc Light residents have committed is losing their homes."

Mr Bayley's comments drew calls of "nonsense" and "rubbish" from some angry residents.

The Labour MP attacked the council for a "failure to talk openly about their plans".

He added: "It would have been better to speak to all community representatives beforehand."

Mr Bayley said it was a "great shame" that no councillors from the ruling Liberal Democrats had attended the meeting, and pledged to write to the council urging further consultation.

The council's acting director of community services, Bill Hodson, also addressed the meeting.

He conceded many residents were "fearful and anxious", but said the city needed proper homelessness services.

Mr Hodson was the author of an email, obtained by the Evening Press, asking Clifton councillor Ken King to delay revealing Arc Light's plans - leading to accusations of "gagging".

Arc Light director Jeremy Jones said he was disappointed the issue had become a "political hot potato", and upset that Arc Light was seen as "public enemy number one".

But residents slammed the scheme, claiming that a homeless centre would "kill off" the community.

Father-of-two Lee Wilson said: "If there are going to be drugs in the streets my sons certainly won't be playing out there."

Jon Calpin, of Baker Street, said: "My house has been on the market for more than a year.

"I got within two days of exchanging contracts and then the buyer pulled out - as a direct result of Arc Light.

"Anybody who has just bought a house here will be in negative equity."

A motion censuring Liberal Democrat councillors over the handling of the scheme was passed unanimously.

Further pictures from the meeting>>

Updated: 10:14 Thursday, August 25, 2005