Plans have been approved to build a new psychiatric intensive care unit at Lynfield Mount Hospital in Bradford.

The planning permission includes approval of new 3.5metre high anti-climb paladin fencing to the perimeter of the site, to separate the unit from neighbouring semi-detached residential housing.

The proposed development is in the north west corner of the hospital site at Daisy Hill and will provide in-patient accommodation for patients that cannot be managed on unlocked wards due to the level of risk they pose to themselves and others.

Currently, the district’s adult mental health psychiatric intensive care unit is at the Airedale Centre for Mental Health in Steeton. However, in a shake-up of inpatient mental health services provided by Bradford District Care Trust, it is planned to move the unit to Bradford.

The trust says that not only is the current unit too small but eight out of ten (79.5 per cent) people who use the unit live in Bradford, meaning a lot of patients who are very unwell are taken from one site to another by ambulance in the care of two or three staff, reducing the number of staff on wards and increasing transfer costs.

Plans for the unit were publicised by the display of site notices and notices given to neighbours, however, no written representations were received by planners at Bradford Council.

Two phone calls were received where members of the public said they were unhappy with the publicity given, however, the method of publicity was considered sufficient for the development as the proposed red-line boundary was a minimum of 12 metres from the nearest shared boundary and the actual works were in excess of 14 metres away from shared boundaries.

In granting the permission planners said: “It has come to light throughout the planning process security at the site may be an issue and while the operation of the site is beyond the local planning authority’s control, the fence may help to improve the situation and have benefits for residents.”

However, planners go on to state no community safety implications are foreseen.

A spokesman for Bradford District Care Trust, said: “Moving the psychiatric intensive care unit to the Lynfield Mount Hospital site is just one of a number of proposed changes we are publicly consulting on as we look to improve the quality of our in-patient services."