PLANS for a multi-million pound health centre in the heart of Accrington have been submitted to Hyndburn Council.

Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT is hoping to get permission to convert Broughton Crangrove Mill, in Cotton Street, into a new centre to serve residents in East Accrington.

The centre will provide new premises for Peel House surgery, currently based in Avenue Parade, and for Dr Kapenda, whose surgery is in Abbey Street.

It will also provide surgeries for GPs with specialist interests, in particular the PCT is looking at providing doctors who specialise in long-term conditions and chronic diseases, such as asthma and diabetes, and space for other health services, including district nurses.

The East Accrington centre is the first of three planned under the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) initiative for the area served by Hyndburn and Ribble Valley PCT - the other two will be in West Accrington and Clitheroe.

A total of £65million is being spent on health centres across East Lancashire, with the first four - in Nelson, Bacup Burnley and Darwen - already under way.

John Rotherham, service redesign manager for the PCT, said: "As with all the LIFT schemes there is a need for a new health centre in this area.

"The buildings currently being used by the GPs in this area are unfit for the purpose and the health services offered in the area are also restricted because of the buildings."

Detailed plans of how the centre will look have yet to be drawn up and Hyndburn Council is being asked to agree in principle to the conversion of the building into a health centre.

The PCT is planning to consult with various user groups to help with the detailed planning of the building and is aiming to start work on the new centre next summer.

Mr Rotherham added: "There is a wish to try and do a second phase of work on this site in the future which would then look at providing links with partner agencies such as the borough and county councils."

Council planners are currently looking at the outline application for the centre and the proposals are expected to go before the Planning Committee in December or January.