PLANS to build three new specialist health care units for the elderly on the Fylde have been given the green light.

The purpose-built centres, each costing £3million, will be built at the Wesham and Rossall hospital sites and at a site off Kingcraig Road, Blackpool.

Contracts to build the units were signed and sealed this week between Fylde's community health trust and the Eric Wright Group construction firm .

Building work is expected to begin within the next two weeks and construction should be completed within 13 months.

The units will provide en-suite facilities for up to 40 elderly people in single, twin and four-bedded rooms and will include extensive rehabilitation facilities so patients will easily be able to return home. The project has been approved under the Government's private finance initiative which means the Preston-based Eric Wright Group will be responsible for building work while the health trust will provide all nursing, rehabilitation, paramedical, administrative and clerical services.

The trust's chief executive Philip Scully said: "I am delighted the building work can begin at last.

"This is a tremendous achievement. We are one of the first trusts in the country to use the private finance initiative, which is why it has taken so long.

"It is an ambitious but vital project because we have a lot of elderly people in the Fylde who have chosen to retire here.

"We can now offer them facilities which are bright, pleasant and easily accessible to friends and relatives and will ensure maximum dignity and comfort.

"I would like to thank all the people who have worked hard behind the scenes to make this vision a reality, particularly our own staff, the North West Lancashire Health Authority and the Blackpool Community Health Council."