PLANS to replace three health centres across East Lancashire, at a cost of around £25million, have been scrapped.

NHS East Lancashire chiefs have gone back to the drawing board over replacements for Clitheroe Community Hospital and Great Harwood and Colne’s health centres.

The largest single scheme, to replace the Clitheroe hospital, would have cost between £12million and £15million.

A replacement Great Harwood surgery was estimated at £8million, or £3.5million for a smaller building.

And proposals to replace Colne’s Market Street health centre with a four-storey centre at the former Kwik Save store in Craddock Road, is also a multi-million pound undertaking.

Any prospect of finding a private sector partner will now be discussed by NHS officials, for one or all of the sites.

Other options include selling the health centre and hospital at Clitheroe, to fund a replacement combined site.

Land at Great Harwood could be sold if the smaller health centre option was chosen, or alternative accommodation could be found. Prospects for Colne might see the Kwik Save site sold and proceeds used to improve the existing centre.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “I’ll be taking these issues up with NHS East Lancashire.

Coalition cuts are biting hard locally and the choice to abandon growth and investment will be hugely damaging.”

Ribble Valley, MP Nigel Evans, said: “I feel badly let down and have no faith in the trust board whatsoever.

All we want is a modern 21st Century community hospital, which we were promised.”

Coun Tony Greaves, a senior Liberal Democrat in Pendle, said: “Of the three places, Colne has far and away the greatest needs.”

The proposals will be debated at an NHS East Lancashire board meeting today.