AN APPLICATION that will see a new 64-bed mental health unit built at Glan Clwyd Hospital is to be considered by Denbighshire’s planning committee.

The new multi-million pound facility, which also includes a multi storey car park, will be built at the rear of the hospital opposite the existing pathology department, on the former carpark.

It will replace the care currently provided at the hospital’s Ablett Unit which is deemed ‘no longer fit for purpose’.

Outline planning permission is sought for the development.

The application is recommended for approval.

A final report into plans, to be presented to members, states: “The new building would provide a replacement facility for the existing Ablett Unit which delivers inpatient adult psychiatric and mental health services. The proposed mental health unit would provide 64 patient beds.

“The plans show the multi-storey car park proposed to be developed in the North Eastern corner of the hospital site, utilising an area of existing surface car parking.”

The unit will provide acute inpatient mental health care to adults from Conwy, Denbighshire and parts of Flintshire and a new Dementia Assessment Unit is being introduced, incorporating the latest evidence on dementia supportive environments.

This will replace the service currently provided at the Bryn Hesketh Unit in Colwyn Bay.

It will also feature a dedicated crisis assessment area.

Facilities to be included in the new Ablett include: Two x Adult Acute Wards; Older Persons Functional Ward; Older Persons Organic Ward; Therapies; Administrative and staff spaces; Pharmacy; ECT suite; 136 Suite; Assessment Suite and an Extra Care Facility.

The site occupies the South West corner of the existing Glan Clwyd Hospital campus where there currently is a surface level car park, constructed as part of the recently completed refurbishment works to the main hospital.

As the new facility is proposed on the current pathology carpark, 350 parking spaces will be displaced.

To maintain parking numbers a new multi storey car park is proposed.

The report states: "The plans show the multi-storey car park proposed to be developed in the North Eastern corner of the hospital site, utilising an area of existing surface car parking.

"Indicative plans show the car park as a three-storey facility with 810 car parking spaces.

"The scale of the car park is stated to have a maximum height of 10.0 metres with the maximum building parameters for the elevations being 116.05 metres by 56.59 metres."

Objections put forward by residents include: The mental health unit finish being "excessively bright"; construction would effect adjacent occupiers and loss of privacy- overlooking from mental health unit into adjacent occupiers rear gardens and windows.

The application will be discussed by Denbighshire planning committee on Wednesday, January 13.