LUDLOW is to have "a spanking new" facility for the elderly in a £1 million-plus plan to revamp Helena Lane House Day Centre.

The plan involves demolishing the building in Hamlet Road and replacing it with a state-of-the-art resource centre, which will include provision for people with learning disabilities as well as health and benefits advice.

The project is part of a wide-ranging Quality in Community Services scheme across Shropshire, using £17 million under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

It follows a detailed analysis of the needs of older people and those with disabilities and is part of a move to bring services up to national standards. The new centre in Ludlow could be open by November 2005.

Helena Lane House was originally a residential home before it became a day centre more than 30 years ago.

Mike Morris, assistant director in social services at Shropshire County Council, admitted: "It's a building that is past its sell-by date with an average of 20 users a day. The PFI is a golden opportunity to provide a new purpose-built unit for the next 30 years."

A meeting of social services heads was this week planning alternative arrangements for day centre users while the new building went up.

"For many of the older people it's one of the few social points of contact. This is why it's important we continue to provide these services during that period," said Mr Morris.

"Hopefully we will have a nice, spanking-new centre for Ludlow. A lot of older people using the services are looking forward to the change."

First stage in the timetable will be an application next month for outline planning permission from the county council.

Partners from the private sector will be invited to tender for the demolition of Helena Lane House and building the new resource centre on the site.

Under the rules for PFI work, building designers must consult with the ultimate users. Work is expected to start in November 2004 and to take a year.

The new facility will provide a wide range of services and will take in the existing Learning Disabilities Day Centre at Friars Walk. There will also be a Small Disability resource centre, offering advice on equipment. Another section will advise on help and benefits.

In addition, there will be a series of clinics, where specialist health advice will be available, plus a meals-on-wheels centre.