WORRIED residents have launched a petition against the possible relocation of a York homeless centre to their neighbourhood.

They told councillors they feared if the Arc Light Centre was moved to the Union Terrace car park, it could - if coupled with more affordable housing on the site - help turn the area into a "ghetto".

They also raised concerns about the impact on the security of local residents, particularly female students and members of hospital staff, and on tourists and shoppers, many of whom use the Union Terrace car and coach park when visiting York.

Organisers Rob and Karen Gray said 177 signatures had been raised over the weekend from people living in streets such as Claremont Terrace, Union Terrace and Portland Street.

Their comments came as City of York Council's executive agreed to press ahead with consultation over a shortlist of four possible new sites for the centre, which needs to leave its current home in Leeman Road.

The other locations on the shortlist, which has been whittled down from an original long list of 36 possible sites, are the Marygate car park, Nunnery Lane car park, and the former Reynards Garage, in Piccadilly.

A report will come back to an executive meeting on May 2, recommending councillors to go ahead with one particular site.

Council leader Steve Galloway said a single, joint consultation meeting should be arranged at a central point, with all homes situated within 200 metres of a site to be included in the distribution of information.

He stressed his determination to bring the matter to a conclusion while resources were still available to provide improved facilities for York's homeless population.

One local resident, former BBC Radio York editor Barrie Stephenson, contacted the Evening Press to say he was not prepared to be a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) and join opponents of the Union Terrace site. He said the site was worthy of consideration.

But Mr Gray said a centre there would be in close proximity to old people's residences, and within a mile of three primary schools and two residential secondary schools.

He said the council's selection criteria dictated the centre should not be located in a densely populated residential area.

Mr Gray said: "The area surrounding the car park has probably the greatest concentration of single and multiple occupation in the whole of York."

Shops and other businesses in Gillygate could also be badly affected, he said.

Mr Gray said there was already provision for rough sleepers and the homeless in the area, with the Salvation Army, a drop-in centre for substance users and a drop-in centre for people with mental health issues.

He said: "Therefore, far from integrating the clients of the Arc Light Centre into the community, this is surely a case of clustering all of York's problems in one area."

Updated: 09:40 Wednesday, March 22, 2006