Work on a £10m project to build a new state-of-the-art care centre on the site of the former Nelson Hospital has begun.

The three storey Local Care Centre (LCC) will finally see the former Nelson Hospital in Kingston Road redeveloped into a modern facility featuring services including retinal screening, podiatry, x-ray and ultrasound as well as two GP clinics, a café, pharmacy and offices.

The former Nelson Hospital will be demolished with three pavilion blocks retained as part of the project, which will also see a section of public highway known as The Rush remodelled.

Fulcrum LIFTCo, on behalf of South West London Health Partnerships, awarded construction firm Rydon a contract to build the £10m community health facility, which commenced last month.

Mark Mitchener, managing director of Rydon Construction, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Rydon to demonstrate our expertise in the healthcare sector to Fulcrum and South West London Health Partnerships.

"We look forward to handing over a community hub for the delivery of 21st Century local GP and outpatient services."

The LCC is set to be completed in early 2015.

A three storey retirement home will also be built on land adjacent to the development which was sold to McCarthy & Stone to fund the project, and who will also carry out its construction.

The building, which will back onto Manor Gardens, has sparked fury from residents who say they were not properly consulted and that the building will negatively impact the look of their road.

Former One Foot in the Grave actress Annette Crosbie, who lives in the residential street, previously branded the retirement home as "deeply offensive" and called for the building, which she described as a "warehouse", to be redesigned.

The total cost of the project has been estimated at £21m.