Mental hospital spends £1m in failed planning bid

A London NHS trust was today heavily criticised for spending £1 million on a failed application to redevelop a notorious mental hospital.

South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust had wanted to build a new mental health complex, 1,200 flats, shops, restaurants and a school on the site of Springfield Hospital in Tooting.

However, Wandsworth council last night rejected the plans, which had faced massive opposition from local residents. Campaigners today slammed the Trust for wasting £1 million of public funds money and accusing it of "playing at being a housing developer" rather than looking after patients.

Four patients escaped from the mental hospital during the planning application process. In September 2004 escaped paranoid schizophrenic John Barrett stabbed cyclist Dennis Finnegan to death in Richmond Park.