STUDENT accommodation is to be built on the old Pullman Bus Depot site in Navigation Road, York, for 230 students.

There are more than 300 dwellings in the Navigation Road and Bretgate area mainly occupied by the elderly.

Sixty-five per cent of these people are over the age of 60 and 50 per cent of this figure are over the age of 70. For this reason, the student flats should not be built in the area.

The student accommodation should be relocated to the new Foss Islands Development site, where the students would be closer to St John's University, the existing retail facilities close to the site, and the proposed new retail facilities. They would also be close to the city centre.

On the Navigation Road site flats and bungalows should be built for older people which could include a much-needed health centre for the area, also a day and larger community centre than the existing one.

People from the outlying estates could live here to benefit from the retail facilities and bus services of Walmgate and the closeness of the city centre.

This would also release much-needed housing on the estates for younger people with children.

The Liberal Democrat council has been insensitive to the feelings and needs of the older people of this area in making such a decision, it is an injustice.

A Campaign To Relocate has started, the people of the area will be contacted soon.

Don Gittins,

Bretgate,

York.

THE warning shots have been fired to all the residents of York regarding the extension of the University of York.

If you are sitting comfortably and thinking it will not affect you as you do not live nearby, think again. The knock-on affect for all surrounding areas are devastating.

If you do not wish to listen to first one side then the other and do not know what to do, then do your own research and look no further than Leeds.

I have yet to hear of a university or anyone else that has had the guts to tackle all the problems involved. Talk is easy.

Think of your children and what you wish for them, to grow up in this beautiful city.

Do not have the sorrow of looking back in future years and thinking, I wish I had at least tried to do something against this.

P D C Smith,

Mistral Court,

Fossway,

York.

Updated: 11:32 Monday, May 15, 2006