ONE OF Southampton's oldest and best-loved council-run homes for the elderly is set to close as part of a major review in the city.

When closure was first mooted in 1999, and elderly residents began a campaign to save Northlands House in Banister Park, Labour councillors agreed instead to put more cash into the crumbling Victorian building.

Now social services bosses plan to knock it down and re-house the 32 permanent residents across the city - and save £120,000 a year on running costs by 2003/04.

The final decision on the review will be made today when the social services committee meets. The move comes at a time when social services is desperate to cut costs and the city council is facing a £22 million capital and revenue overspend in 2001/02.

Fears that the valuable site would be sold off to a housing developer have been dismissed as the council intends to build a new nursing home on the land.

Tony Almeida, head of elderly services in the city, said it would cost £800,000 to keep Northlands open and it just was not practicable to pour such a sum of money into such an old building.

The city desperately wants more nursing home beds if it is to meet the needs of the elderly in Southampton and the council plans to work in partnership with the private sector to build the new centre.

He said: "The proposal we have come up with is not about providing care on the cheap - if council members had wanted that they would have closed it down two years ago.

"It would have been easy for members to sell off the land and get £1.75 million for it - but we want to invest in the future care of the elderly."

Before the closure can go ahead consultation with the residents, some in their 80s, must happen. They and their families must be happy with the alternative accommodation - and residents without families will be given an independent advocate to represent their interests.

"We realise this will be a major trauma to the residents of Northlands House. We will be working with social workers and other health workers to ensure residents do not become distraught and depressed over the move," he said.

Ward Councillor Conor Burns said: "It would be devastating on the residents. Some are war veterans with elderly residents.

"History says that if you move old and frail people the effect can be to kill them."