BURNLEY is to get a new dialysis unit as part of the phase five development at the General Hospital.

Project director Neil Matthewman said support had been received from the Local Health Commission for the new satellite facility.

He told Burnley Health Trust Board: "It will provide a facility to serve the local population and avoid them having to travel to other centres."

Work on the multi million pound phase five scheme is scheduled to begin at the end of this year with an opening of the new facilities in January 2005.

The number of new beds in the scheme will also increase from 140 to 170 and will include the renal services unit.

Mr Matthewman said: "There was an acceptance that there was a requirement for an additional 30 medical beds, given the nature of the Trust's current bed occupancy levels and consistent number of medical outliers."

Trust chairman Coun Azhar Ali said: "It is an exciting project. There could be a brand new facility within a couple of years."

The £13.5million scheme will provide new state of the art wards and a focal point for the whole hospital -- a new main entrance to the site.

It will see the clearance of the oldest part of the hospital, the former workhouse buildings.

Seven old and cramped wards with 140 beds in the former workhouse will be replaced with new wards and 170 beds.