A YORK bus depot which was at risk of closure has been allowed to remain open.

York Pullman Bus Company applied for retrospective permission for its depot off Pottery Lane in Strensall. But council planning officers have advised the application is turned down because the site lies within the Green Belt.

Tom James, managing director of York Pullman Bus Company, said the company had worked for a decade to improve availability of local bus centres in York, and refusal of the plans would be bad for the city.

He said: "If we cannot operate from here it will lead to job losses and stop us from operating some essential school and college contracts as well as limiting other private hire services and some of the large amounts of emergency rail replacement work that we provide for all major rail companies."

Mr James said the company would plant trees to help screen the site, and improve its appearance, and Councillor Peter Dew pointed out that the application "will support local employment and refusing it is likely to increase costs for the city council and the future provision of bus services".

The retrospective plans were approved.