CONCERNS have been raised over plans to surround a mental Health hospital with a 3.9 metre-high fence.

Colchester’s St Paul’s Hospital says it wants the “anti-climb” security fence to conform with new health service guidelines.

Neighbours fear it is a sign higher-risk patients are to be transferred there.

Hospital bosses had previously been given consent for a three-metre fence to replace the existing two-metre one, but have lodged a second planning application as they say the increased height would “make escape more difficult”.

Malcolm Nicholson, who lives next door to the hospital, in Boxted Road, said: “St Paul’s has been developed over the past ten years from what was a small care in the community home, housing eight patients in a low-security environment.

“It has now become a very large mental health hospital which houses about 85 patients, many of whom have very serious mental health issues.

“With this latest application, the hospital appears to be going away from the original objective and is now a high-security, high-dependency unit.”

He said patients could often be heard shouting and screaming in the hospital grounds and, unlike the present fence, the planned replacement would not be designed to offer sound-proofing.

Care Aspirations, which runs the hospital, said the higher fence had been recommended in a routine Department of Health audit.

The company’s planning agent, Alison Whalley, said: “The recommendation was made to ensure the hospital will be in line with revised Department of Health regulations for low secure units.”

Colchester Council aims to make a final decision on the application by November 19.