WORK on the £9m West View Hospital replacement project to provide 60 nursing home, social care and rehabilitation beds in Tenterden will start in October.

The start date was announced at an Ashford Primary Care Trust meeting when David Weiss, one of the project leaders said: "We want West View to be one of the jewels in the crown of the Trust.

"We want to see improved health and social care for patients in response to what users and residents in Tenterden say they want and need."

He said the building should be up and running by 2004.

The project is a Private Finance Initiative involving a partnership between health groups and Kent social services.

Mr Weiss said the size of the unit was restricted to that of the existing community hospital, although it will be built on another part of the site.

The old hospital will not close until the new one is completed.

More information is expected at the West View Support Group annual meeting on April 30.

The meeting will be held in the Mary White room at the hospital at 7.30pm, when Mr Weiss will report on progress and answer questions on the project.