A £7 million plan to improve mental health services for children and young people has been unveiled.

West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust is applying for planning permission to rebuild its children's mental health units at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

It wants to replace the existing Colwood and Larchwood units which are old-fashioned and unsuitable for today's standards of care.

The service moved out of Larchwood last year because of its condition.

The new plans are for a single purpose-built unit, which will include bedrooms, classrooms, dining and recreation rooms.

Hazel Rumsey, director of child and adolescent mental health services for the trust, said: "The new centre represents our continuing investment in children's mental health services at the Princess Royal.

"From there we will look after children and young people from East and West Sussex and from Brighton and Hove - just as we do today from Colwood.

"This is about having first-class, properly-designed buildings that will look good from the outside and help us to offer the best possible environment to the young people in our care.

"It is no more than they deserve."

Subject to planning approval from Mid Sussex District Council, the trust hopes to start work on the children's centre site around the new year.

Colwood and Larchwood provides in-patient, outpatient and therapy services and educational facilities provided by West Sussex County Council.

The proposed new building will provide assessment and treatment for children and young people aged five to 19 from across Sussex and will include 16 bedrooms.

It will also offer a wide range of treatments for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in the county.

The children and young people who use the service tend to have complex mental health needs, including severe depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, phobias and mood disorders.