THE group behind the renewed bid to use Montrose House in South Street as a youth advisory centre and internet cafe has put forward a planning application to Waverley Borough Council.

Farnham Christian Community Trust is part of a youth consultative group of councillors and youth workers in the area which believes the facility will be a valued community asset.

However, as recently reported, the council has yet to decide whether to allow the building's use for youth purposes or as a new location for the town's CAB centre.

Speaking to The Herald recently, CAB manager Gabbie Joyce stressed a need for new facilities having outgrown its current base which is to be demolished as part of the East Street redevelopment plans.

It had placed its bid for the centre after rejection of the original youth facility plans. Although the organisation has been provisionally offered space within the East Street scheme, no formal plans or a timescale have been given.

Owned by the council, it was formerly used as general offices but has not been used since December 2001.

Residents had feared noise nuisance to nearby elderly residents would make it unsuitable. They were also concerned at the prospect of young people hanging around late at night with a proposed closing time of 9 pm for the cyber cafe.

Taking this on board, the Farnham Youth Consultative Group (FYCG) have pledged to work with residents to minimise the effect of music during summer months when windows would be open.

It has proposed a small picnic area near Gostrey Meadow to prevent youngsters loitering in South Street.

Another of the obstacles facing the original application was over a lack of identifying how young people using the centre would be supervised by adults.

This has now been addressed in its latest application which confirms a full- time youth worker would be in attendance as well as an overall facility manager.

Within its application, the annual running costs were given as in the region of £77,000 (excluding management payments), which are believed to be funded from its own resources.

The ground floor of the building would be used as a cyber cafe with six computers and informal meeting area, while the first and second storeys would be used by advisory services.

Proposed opening hours have been reduced to a closing time of 8 pm under revised plans (between 12 noon and 6 pm on Saturdays).