A £12m state-of-the-art specialist recovery centre to be built at Europe's biggest army base will revolutionise how Britain's war heroes are treated, defence chiefs revealed last night.

Scores of injured servicemen and woman - members of the Forces' "Afghan generation" - will be rehabilitated at the specialist facility in Catterick, North Yorkshire.

The centre - one of five across the country - is part of a £100m programme aimed at providing the best treatment possible for the growing number of causalities returning from combat zones.

The 50-bedroom Personnel Recovery and Assessment Centre (PRAC) will care for the most seriously hurt troops.

Soldiers who have lost limbs, gone blind or are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome will be among those receiving help to recover.

The unit will be paid for by the Help for Heroes charity, with running costs coming from the Royal British Legion and staff supplied by the MoD.

Defence Minister Andrew Robathan said that the centres were being built because injured soldiers deserved the best.

He told The Northern Echo: "I believe that by joining forces with the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes, we will deliver just that.

"Experience shows that injured soldiers recover better if they are placed in a military environment.

"By basing the centre in Catterick, troops will be able to access the garrison's full range of facilities including welfare, medical rehabilitation and education."

Help for Heroes announced this week that it had raised £100m for injured soldiers, with tens of thousands coming from fundraising schemes in the North-East and North Yorkshire.

The charity has set aside more than £70m towards the recovery centre programme.

As well as paying for the new Catterick PRAC, it will fund an interim facility in refurbished buildings at the base for up to 30 residents.

It is hoped the unit will be ready later this summer. Bryn Parry, chief executive and co-founder of the charity, said he accepted that men and women injured in war might eventually have to leave their job with the Armed Forces.

However, he added: "We are entirely focused on ensuring that if that has to happen, those individuals only do so when they are ready, have the very best opportunities and the long term care they need - they deserve nothing less."

Recovery centres will also be built at Colchester, Tidworth in Hampshire, and Plymouth.

A unit in Edingburgh is already up and running.

The Royal British Legion is contributing £50m over ten years - the largest single contribution in the charity's 90-year history - towards the running costs of the units and Help for Heroes has committed £80m. Other charities, and the MoD, are also contributing to the programme.

Susan Cottam, spokeswoman for the British Legion, said: "The legion views Catterick PRAC as a core part of the support we give service personnel from the Afghan generation."

The North Yorkshire facility, to be built at Gaza Barracks, will help soldiers recover sufficiently to stay with the forces, or lead a new life as a civilian.

It will take soldiers hurt in training, sporting or road accidents, as well as those injured on the front line.

Plans have been submitted to Richmondshire District Council.

It is hoped work will begin by September this year and be completed within a year.

Included in the plans are classrooms, dining areas, commons rooms and offices.

Accommodation for single soldiers and a retail and leisure centre for soldiers is also being built at Gaza Barracks.