PRESTWICH Hospital could soon be a site for the town's first "halfway house" for mentally ill patients as part of major expansion plans.

The hospital, which is run by Mental health Services of Salford NHS Trust, has more than 18 acres of land divided between two sites which is available for development. Trust chief executive Mr Robert Lee said that health bosses were currently looking at a number of ideas that will bring the derelict land back into use and introduce new services.

He said: "We have just over ten acres of land at the lower Prestwich site, which was formerly Clifton House, and another eight acres available on the upper site. This is the first time we have looked at what the requirements might be and soon we will be applying for outline planning permission.

"There are a lot of potential ideas for new service development which we are putting in priority order to make best use of the site."

Central to the plans is a high supervision accommodation block, run by voluntary organisation Turning Point, for "mentally disordered offenders" (MDOs).

The hostel, if granted planning permission, could accommodate up to 15 people for a period of between two and five years which is classed as "medium term".

Mr Lee said the project would act as a "halfway house" or stepping stone into the wider community for people who have been treated for a mental illness.

He added: "It will be for people who have been treated successfully and discharged from hospital, but who have in the past committed an offence. The hostel, which is closely supervised, will be provided at Prestwich but run by Turning Point to allow those people to live a more normal life."

Negotiations are also taking place to create more forensic-led services, including a centre for forensic mental health and deafness run by Mayflower Hospitals PLC.

And there are suggestions for adolescent services, for young people suffering psychiatric problems, as well as provision for women secure patients.

Mr Lee said: "All the potential services discussed will be new services to the site."There are a lot of ideas but we will attempt to provide those services that meet people's needs most. We hope to continue being good neighbours and all our plans will be out in the open."

Just last week a piece of land that forms part of the hospital grounds had its future safeguarded by a timely intervention by Bury South MP Ivan Lewis.

The land, known as Mere Clough, was due to auctioned by its owners Salford Area Health Authority but Bury Council, which was interested in acquiring the land for its "Green Lung" policy, was informed of the offer too late.

Mr Lewis made a successful 11th hour appeal to the Secretary of State for Health to have the land withdrawn from the auction to give council bosses time to act on its interest in the land.

Mr Lewis said: "It is important that this land is not lost to the community of Prestwich. I hope Bury Council is successful in its negotiations to purchase the land."

Mere Clough is not included in the latest proposals by Prestwich Hospital to develop the surrounding land.