A RACECOURSE bend built to stage last year's Royal Ascot meeting is to become a permanent fixture.

City of York Council planning chiefs yesterday agreed full planning permission for the three-furlong long loop on Knavesmire, that turns York Racecourse into a continuous circuit.

Councillors gave the 17-metre wide bend temporary approval for five years in January, 2004, to allow the course to host the Ascot meeting in June, 2005.

A bid by York Racecourse Committee to keep the loop - which links the winning post with the back straight of the track - has been approved.

Coun David Evans said: "It was intended just for Ascot, but by making it permanent we can improve the racecourse, and the facilities it can offer to racegoers without inconveniencing other users."

The committee received only one letter from a local resident opposing the plans.

But the Micklegate Planning Panel also objected, saying the change would affect the area's amenities, and would split the site in half during large-scale events such as caravan meetings.

Councillors agreed to keep a condition that racecourse managers will have to pay to mark out new football pitches, should demand from local teams increase.

David Rhodes, for York Racecourse, said: "We would like to take this facility forward to run longer races, and this is a great benefit to trainers of horses in Yorkshire with horses that prefer the longer distances. Because the track is there, the St Leger is able to be held at the racecourse, and York is benefiting by being able to stage the race.

"The continuing success of York Racecourse is linked to the continuing prosperity of the city as a whole, and it is one of the features that

people know about when they hear of York."

The bend is enclosed by a running rail, part of which will be removed on non-race days to maintain public access across Knavesmire.

Knavesmire is set for another big year in 2006, with York hosting the St Leger classic in September, while the Doncaster track undergoes redevelopment.

Updated: 10:22 Friday, January 06, 2006