HOSPITAL chiefs have defended a decision to apply for planning permission to expand a mental unit so it can receive patients from Broadmoor.

Angry residents have called on Bromley Council to turn down the application from the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust to expand the medium-security mental unit at Bethlem Royal Hospital, in Beckenham.

The £19m plans will see the number of beds increased from 29 to 89 so mental patients from some of Britain's highest security units can be transferred there.

Despite the opposition, hospital bosses are confident the proposed expansion will not pose a greater risk for people living near the Monks Orchard Road unit.

Dr Andrew Johns, consultant forensic psychiatrist in charge of the unit, defended the decision,

saying there is a severe shortage of beds for medium-risk mental patients who have "gone through the criminal justice system".

The current alternative is to use private-sector beds, but he said they are too far away for local patients to get support from family and for Bethlem staff to monitor.

"It's enormously expensive. The costs are many tens of thousands of pounds a year higher than the equivalent service we can offer," he said.

But Dr Johns' claims have been dismissed by worried residents who say high-risk criminals will be placed at the heart of their community.

West Beckenham Residents' Association spokesman John McAvoy, 71, has accused the hospital of playing down the risks associated with the development.

The retired lecturer said: "They are being economical with the truth. They do not want to tell the whole story."

Mr McAvoy, of Hawksbrook

Lane, says more patients from Broadmoor and Rampton will be sent to the unit once it is expanded.

He added: "There are five or six schools within a mile. Some of these patients do abscond and there is always a question mark. If there are rapists in there, if there are paedophiles there, they may have them subdued but you don't know."

He said: "I would like to see the numbers reduced. I am not opposed to what we've got and I'm not opposed to a small increase but I am opposed to this."

But Dr John says the risks to the local community are extremely low because medium security is one of the most secure sections of the psychiatric system and the unit is extremely well resourced with good staff in adequate numbers.

He said: "If you bear in mind the admissions in general psychiatry are of the order of two weeks, ours are of the order of two years. So we are very slow and cautious with the care of these people."

The proposed expansion has been backed by Beckenham MP Jacqui Lait, who believes local patients will benefit from an increase in local psychiatric beds so they can be closer to friends and family.

But she said the hospital needs to work hard to reassure people. "There is obviously concern among the residents and Bethlem needs to be completely open and honest about what it is doing."