A controversial bid to replace a care home with a specialist centre for the elderly has won the backing of planning chiefs.

Wealden District Council gave outline permission for the £39 million Age Well scheme to replace Ridgewood Rise care home in Uckfield today.

The bid sparked anger from locals last year when East Sussex County Council, which is leading the scheme, announced the home would close.

During a three-month consultation on the proposals more than 2,000 people signed a petition in support of keeping Ridgewood Rise in Highview Lane open.

At the time residents at the site said losing the home would "kill them off".

Since then all residents have been relocated by the county council and Ridgewood Rise will continue to host the day centre until March.

The new home is one of four private finance schemes planned for East Sussex and will house up to 48 residents. Other centres are expected to be built in Westfield, Hastings and Ringmer.

It has been welcomed by some people who think it will provide much-needed state care for the elderly.

Uckfield town councillor Ian Smith said: "There was an issue about whether it should remain as it was. Presuming the building isn't any more imposing then the old one, I'm not against this scheme.

"We're all going to need to stay at a care home one day and we need to know they will be properly run. Public provision is important because private care is not always easily accessible for all folk."

The Age Well bid has also been criticised because it will not house a replacement day care centre.

East Sussex County Council says it is looking at alternative sites to relocate the facility.

Wealden district councillor for Uckfield Paul Sparks said: "At the moment Ridgewood Rise is being kept open purely to provide day care. That can't go on forever and a day.

"At some stage the county council will want to knock the building down. I have a lot of concerns about it being closed before they find an alternative venue.

"There just aren't any day care places in Uckfield. The council is trying to find alternative arrangements.

"I was told it is looking at Uckfield Club which has a bar and a stage. I wouldn't have thought that was necessarily the right environment or the right lay-out for people to have day care facilities. We need something more relaxed with open spaces."

Coun Sparks also criticised the county council for moving residents out before full planning permission had been granted.

He said: "The problem is they've already closed the residential part but the outline planning consent is only the very first step in an exceptionally long process.

"It's unlikely this new one will be built much before 2010. Even if it's built then because it is a private finance initiative, they've got to go into the tendering process, which is very lengthy."