RESIDENTS say plans to move a popular youth centre to a guest house will disturb their peace and lead to intimidation.

Thirsk Clock organisers want to move from the Market Place to a larger base at the Fourways Guest House, in Station Road. The centre, which opened two years ago, has been so successful it has outgrown its premises.

Staff have already secured more than £300,000 to buy a new building. The ground floor of the guest house would be used as a youth club, with the first floor offices being used by Clock staff.

Some offices would be leased to other organisations supporting young people, include the police and youth offending team.

Security cameras would be put up to cover the site.

The planned move has won the support of North Yorkshire Police, who say the work done by the centre is the envy of other towns in the area and has helped to resolve problems experienced by vulnerable young people.

Hambleton District Council's community safety officer has also backed the plans, saying that without the centre, Thirsk would have a lot more problems with anti-social behaviour.

Forty-one letters of support have also been sent to the council, including letters from the headteacher of Thirsk School, North Yorkshire Youth Clubs and the Thirsk branch of Churches Together.

However, people living near the guest house, which is at the junction of Station Road, Topcliffe Road and Westgate, said the centre should not move to a residential area.

They said the peace of the area would be disturbed, litter would increase and that there would be security problems.

Road safety fears have also been voiced about youngsters crossing the busy junction outside the guest house.

Sowerby Parish Council want the application to be refused, but Hambleton planning officer Helen Laws has recommended that planning permission should be granted. She said: "It is unlikely that the use of Fourways as a youth centre will be without incident and problems.

"It is considered, however, that with effective management of the premises, the degree of noise and disturbance can be controlled."

The council's development control committee will discuss the plans on Thursday.