A hostel criticised by inspectors could close - or face a renovation bill of up to £1 million.

Mellow Purgess End Hostel in Basildon cares for adults with learning difficulties.

But an adverse report by inspectors last year urged the hostel to address a number of substantial improvements immediately. These included a major upgrading of the whole building.

Now Essex County Council is to ask the hostel's 24 residents and their families what they want.

Essex County Council's social services department has been given until 2003 to bring the home up to scratch.

Officers have now decided to consult widely before deciding whether to do it up or close it down.

Work on the hostel, whose bedrooms are not up to new size standards and which is not easily accessible for people with physical disabilities, will cost between £500,000 and £1 million.

Residents will be offered the chance to go into supported housing nearby - and if enough choose that option the home could close.

Leo Bishop, county manager for learning disabilities services, said the moves were not a cost cutting measure but a way of helping residents get a better quality of life.

He said: "What has changed over the last five years is that there are now a variety of options on offer in satisfying accommodation needs.

"This is an opportunity for service users to begin to identify what possibilities they would like us to consider for themselves.

"Rather than spending lots of money on the building straight away we are finding out what the people want - we've done this before and its only right and proper."

Of the home's 24 places, 18 are for long-stay residents with six allocated for short term stays.

The short term places will be transferred to a new home in Langdon Hills when it opens for business - that home is being built at the moment.

Mellow Purgess End Hostel was built in 1979 and is made up of four adjoining homes, each with six bedrooms.

The scheme was being discussed today when Essex County Council's social services committee's community care sub-committee met at County Hall in Chelmsford.

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