A CHILDREN'S campus offering youngsters access to health, education and welfare services could be created in a town.

Derwentside Primary Care Trust plans to create a new, bigger health centre for Stanley, but is struggling to find land large enough.

The trust is now looking at a split-site option, with most services provided from a new building. The existing site in Clifford Road would be turned into a children's facility, to link up with the neighbouring SureStart centre.

SureStart last month became a designated Children's Centre, bringing services for parents and children under one roof. Trust chief executive Wynn Griffiths said: "We have been looking at various different options, and it looks likely that we may have to go with a split site.

"One option favoured is that children's services would be in the old health centre, which is next to the SureStart centre and would create a sort of children's campus."

The trust would either extensively refurbish the Clifford Road site or demolish the building and start again.

Mr Griffiths said: "It is grossly overcrowded. We want to expand services, and people feel it is not a very suitable building."

Health services for adults would be provided on another site, with the trust keen to use the area next to the bus station to be built in Mary Street.

Mr Griffiths said: "It is one of a number of sites we are still trying to pursue.

"The key intention is to try and get services as central in Stanley as possible. It has to be accessible, so public transport is quite significant.

"We are waiting for advice from our architect as to what can be fitted on those sites and are trying to sort out the business case."

The trust plans to start extensive consultation on the proposals early next year and to put in an official offer for the former bus station site.

Councillor Alex Watson, the head of Derwentside District Council, which is leading the bus station redevelopment, said three bids have already been received for the site. He said: "We are sure a bid from the trust would be well received by the people of Stanley.