RESIDENTS say their lives are being made a misery by people using a drug care centre in their street.

The householders in Peckitt Street, near York fire station, say drug offenders have been congregating outside their homes since the Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) unit was set up in September, 2004.

They say they have suffered abuse from threatening groups of young people and have found drug debris scattered in the street.

David Jobson, who lives next door to the centre, said: "It is generally a threatening atmosphere all the time. It is a continual worry.

"It causes everyone in the street anxiety. You can't live with the fear of something happening all the time."

The CRI centre, run by the Drug Action Team, did not require permission from council planners because the building used to be a doctor's surgery, which falls within the same planning category.

The scheme had originally been planned for a vacant building in Tower Street, but the landlord pulled out at the last minute after objections from residents in the area.

Mr Jobson said residents felt ignored and never got a chance to object to the CRI unit being set up on their doorstep.

"We have never been consulted on anything relating to the establishment or the running of the centre and resent the dishonest way in which our councillor and council have dealt with the matter," he said.

"I think they totally ignored us. Originally when I was writing to the planning department I got no response. We actually feel it was stitched up before it became public."

Coun Brian Watson said he wanted the unit to move to another building as soon as possible.

He said: "It needs to be in bigger premises and in not such a sensitive area. I would be a lot happier if they found somewhere because it does cause problems.

"We expected it to be about a year or so before they can find somewhere because they have got to get premises, find funding and then put it through all the planning procedures."

A spokeswoman for Hambleton and Richmond-shire Primary Care Trust, which is a partner in the Drugs Action Team, said a meeting of the group would discuss residents' concerns. She said: "This is felt to be the best forum to discuss the concerns of residents and how they may be addressed.

"The group will then make sure that the outcome of the meeting is communicated to residents."

No one from the Drugs Action Team was available for comment.

Updated: 09:59 Saturday, October 22, 2005