Plans to reopen two former hospital wards for patients could be delayed because there is no money to do the work.

Mid Sussex Primary Health Care Trust applied to use the old Kleinwort and Nightingale geriatric wards at the former Haywards Heath Hospital as temporary offices for up to three years before converting them back to wards.

The trust said it would be the cheapest and quickest way of getting them up to standard for intermediate care of elderly patients.

But Mid Sussex District Council threw out the application and the trust fears it will take even longer to get the wards in use.

Trust chairman Christine Barwell said: "What we are trying to do this year is spend the money we have available in the best possible way, making the wards inhabitable.

"Then the basic fabric of the building is ready for easy conversion into patient care when the Government gives us more money.

"At present the PCT is most unlikely to be given extra money. These plans were a way of getting it done as quickly as possible.

"We would like to put them back to patient use but this is just not realistic."

The wards have been empty since the hospital closed in 1994. Part of the land on the site was sold and turned into a care home. The trust had hoped to use the wards while building offices nearby.

Plans also included a doctors' surgery. Mrs Barwell said: "The GPs concerned are bitterly disappointed because we need another surgery in Haywards Heath."

The trust is still looking for offices as it has to move off the Princess Royal Hospital site in Haywards Heath.

Mrs Barwell said: "Unless we have new money there's no way of turning them back into wards except this way, let alone running them.

"We shall be resubmitting our application and hope by supplying a bit more detail about patients being at the centre of what we are trying to do we will make it successful."

Councillors narrowly voted to refuse permission because of inappropriate use but said they would be happy to consider a new application.