Health chiefs have recommended a new hospital be built in Sussex - even though the £272 million price tag is too high.

Crawley Primary Health Care Trust (PCT) has agreed to back campaigners in favour of a hospital being built near Pease Pottage.

Residents have been campaigning for years to improve health facilities as several services from the town's hospital have been moved to East Surrey hospital in Redhill to cope with Crawley's growing population, including its maternity unit, which was moved a year ago.

At a meeting held at Broadfield Stadium, Crawley, on Thursday residents were angry when the PCT initially planned to sit on the fence over a decision.

Bosses said they were willing to recommend either a new hospital on the Pease Pottage site or to back improvements to Redhill.

Campaigners completely ruled out the option of expanding Redhill, which is up to an hour's drive from Crawley.

Instead, they demanded the PCT call for a hospital to be built at Pease Pottage and for local services to be kept in Crawley.

The PCT finally agreed to back campaigners, even though they said the price tag would be too high.

Barbara O'Brien, a founder member of the Crawley Hospital Campaign, said: "People in Crawley have been short-changed and we need action.

"We've been promised a new hospital for years but, instead, the authorities have been downgrading the hospital and moving the services."

PCT chiefs will now send their recommendation to Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority (SHA), which will make a decision later this month.

Malcolm Liles, PCT board chairman, said the recommendation was an ideal solution, not a realistic one.

He said: "It was important for the PCT to say today what we would like to see in Crawley. But it is not affordable under the current funding.

"That is why we have asked the SHA for extra funding."

It is estimated it would cost up to £272 million to build a hospital at Pease Pottage, to be met by SHA.

But the PCT said it would also find it difficult to meet the estimated running costs of £25.3 million a year.

This amount would be split between Crawley and three other health authorities, Horsham and Chanctonbury, East Surrey, and East Elmbridge.

Crawley PCT would be responsible for paying about £6.9 million towards annual costs.

Chris Redmayne, Crawley Borough Council leader, said: "We're delighted with the PCT's decision and we now hope the SHA makes the right decision at its meeting. We have fought long and hard on this issue."

Mr Redmayne said the council and other local authorities had "lobbied, badgered and bullied" health officials, health trusts, the SHA and the Health Minister to improve services in the town.

He said: "We share the PCT's vision for community-based health care and we want that alongside acute services, which fit the needs of a growing town of 100,000 people."

Councillor Brenda Smith said: "I'm pleased and pleasantly surprised the PCT accepted the recommendation has to be for a main hospital at Pease Pottage.

"Finance is always going to be a difficulty but the decision is a step forward. We just have to hope the SHA realises what we need."

The SHA is due to decide the future of health care in the area at its board meeting on January 29.