AN old community centre is to be demolished to make way for a special centre for children with disabilities.

Plans have been given the go-ahead to flatten the outdated Herbert Coates Community Centre in Morley Street, Bury, and create a purpose-built resource centre in its place.

The exciting project, expected to cost in the region of £600,000, will provide a new and welcome home for Hurdles Family Support Group, which currently occupies the site.

The charity runs a drop-in facility that provides information and support for disabled children and their relatives, and runs integrated play schemes during summer.

Hurdles co-ordinator Nicola Forshaw said the old building was "pretty grim" and expensive to heat and maintain. She said: "This is a brilliant initiative that will provide a holistic service for the families and carers of children with disabilities. It will also create an improved community facility in a friendly, welcoming building, with much more going on there than in the past."

The new building has also been designed to accommodate disabled children overnight with a four bedded respite care facility.

Head of children's services at Bury Council, Helen Humphreys, said she was very excited about the "fabulous" accommodation.

"There are four single rooms that will cater for around 30 to 40 young people up to the age of 18."

She added: "For the first time we are going to be able to provide high quality services for children with disabilities in a lovely modern building."

The improved facilities, which are a result of a partnership between Hurdles, Bury Social Services, West Pennine Housing and NCH Action for Children, will include a creche, soft play and light sensory area and landscaped garden with wheelchair access.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.