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

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

The bid sparked anger among residents 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 to keep the home in Highview Lane open.

Residents at the home said losing the site would "kill them off".

Since then all the residents have been relocated.

Ridgewood Rise will continue to host a day centre until next month.

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.

The plan has been welcomed by some people who believe 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 than 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."

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

However, East Sussex County Council is looking at alternative sites to relocate the facility.

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

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

"I was told it was looking at Uckfield Club, which has a bar and a stage, but I wouldn't have thought that was the right environment for people to have day care facilities.

"We need something more relaxed, with open spaces."

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

He said: "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 centre will be built much before 2010.

"Even if it is built, they've then got to go into the lengthy tendering process because it is a private finance initiative."

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