A £10 MILLION programme to extend and rebuild parts of a psychiatric hospital was due to start today.

Plans for the 16-bed unit and a 10-bed unit at Kemple View, Longsight Road, Langho, were given the go-ahead more than 12 months ago.

A scheme aimed at replacing them with an 18-bed extension at the Longsight Road site was abandoned last year amid concerns from residents that the site was already big enough and concerns over security.

Several residents spoke out at a public meeting, but hospital director Peter Handy said the decision was taken purely on planning grounds.

The two and a half year project, due for completion in the summer of 2006, will be built in two phases and includes four buildings, incorporating a new gymnasium, therapy rooms, administration building, kitchen for staff and patients and the two new wards.

Speaking today, Mr Handy, said: "This will enable us to accept more patients and the facilities for staff and patients will be enhanced immensely.

"This will represent state-of-art psychiatry in the 21st Century."

He added: "We understand the previous and ongoing concerns of our neighbours and we will make every effort to be good neighbours and do what we can to minimise the risks for everybody."

Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans, said today: "What the management need to do is to bring the residents on-side and work with them.

"I know residents are still concerned and the management of the unit must reassure them about the security of the site and that nobody unsuitable will be there. They have not done this and residents are still concerned.

"I hope to go to the unit and meet both management and residents to ensure that this is the case."

Kemple View is a private unit run by Hertfordshire-based Partnerships In Care Ltd, which houses up to 64 patients who are referred under the Mental Health Act for treatment to stabilise and rehabilitate them back into society where possible.

It is not classed as a high or medium secure unit, but security measures include restricted-opening windows, double-entry doors that are locked and alarmed, perimeter fencing and CCTV. Three people are known to have escaped in the past three years, although one of those patients fled on a day trip. Recent absconders have included a man who was sent to the unit after being convicted of making threats to kill.

He escaped last August and returned after 24 hours, although police had warned he was dangerous and advised the public not to approach him.

The new 18-bed unit was to be situated on the south-west corner of the site, further away from the Rhyddings housing estate than the 16-bed unit which is to go ahead.