PLANS to move a popular youth centre into a residential area have again split opinion in a market town.

Thirsk Clock has reapplied for permission to move from its base in the Market Place to Fourways guest house on Station Road.

The centre has proved such a success that it needs larger premises.

Hambleton District Council's planning committee refused permission for the change of use in October, saying people living near Fourways would suffer from noise and disturbance.

Thirsk Clock has now reapplied for permission and planning officers have recommended approval.

But 87 letters of objection have been sent to the council from local residents.

Some have claimed they will have to put up with drug abuse and gangs of youths congregating near their homes.

This has been strongly refuted by project manager Abigail Homer McGhie.

She said: "Staff work with the small number of young people who misuse substances. When necessary, specialist support is brought into Thirsk Clock for individual young people. Staff carry out preventative work with those young people who they believe are at risk of misusing substances."

The proposed move has seen 274 letters of support sent to the council from residents, teachers, users of Thirsk Clock and Thirsk Regeneration Initiative.

Planning officer Helen Laws said: "The proposed youth centre is not in an ideal location to prevent a degree of noise and disturbance from occurring.

"It is however felt that the site is located in a position where there already exists an element of disturbance from vehicle movements and what is already a busy pedestrian thoroughfare.

"It is proposed to provide additional lighting, new fencing and to install CCTV along the footpath to the side of the building, which will reduce the likelihood of anti-social behaviour in this area."

The centre has secured more than £300,000 to buy a new building.

Under the proposals, the ground floor of the guest house would be used as a youth club, with the first floor offices being used by Clock staff.

Councillors will discuss the move on Thursday.