FAMILIES living near Crewe's former orphanage, Webb House, are to meet the kind of people likely to stay there if a centre for psycho-education gets the go-ahead.

A meeting is being lined up for September at which Salford NHS Trust will outline their plans for the historic building.

They will be inviting along a few of the people already being helped with problems caused by "faulty interpersonal learning during formative childhood years".

The centre proposals have sparked fears amongst the community around Webb House and anger because residents were not informed of the move or consulted.

A rumour that patients might be transferred there from the high profile Ashworth Mental Hospital where dangerous criminals like Ian Brady are prisoners fuelled the concern.

Salford bosses have given assurances that no 'dangerous' patients will go there, only people who need help to cope with their lives after experiencing difficulties as children.

"But many alarming conditions have been attributed to problems early in life," said one worried householder.

"Faulty interpersonal learning during formative childhood years could be interpreted as possibly meaning disruptive adolescents and young adults with all the problems associated with them such as burglary, car crime, drugs and child abuse," he added..

He believes that locating the centre in Webb House will not only affect the safety and comfort factor, and property values of local residents, but placing it adjacent to the local park where a lot of children congregate will cause concern.

"It will affect the confidence of a lot of families in the whole of the Crewe area who will now think twice before visiting the park with their children," he said.

Salford Health Trust maintain that no residents will be held under a section of the Mental Health Act and no medication will be used.

"That may be the situation today, but once entrenched I cannot see the local authorities turning them down if they wanted to change the situation," said the residents' spokesman.

He is also challenging local planners to explain why no change of use permission is needed for the centre. Webb House was formerly a Railway Training School.

MP Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody, councillors and hospital and health officials are likely to attend the meeting in September.

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