PROSPECTIVE parents in the East Hampshire area are celebrating this week because The Grange Birth Centre in Petersfield has been given the go-ahead to stay open following enormous public support. Hampshire Primary Care Trust this week announced: "You told us, and we've listened," after a consultation across South East Hampshire was carried out to decide which birth centre option was best for the area. Petersfield's Grange Centre formed part of option one in the public consultation. The new improved Grange, in Swan Street will now provide 24-hour care and provide a better service, starting in April 2008. Patricia Exley of the Save The Grange Campaign and also Petersfield and Liss National Childbirth Trust said: "It's what we have been fighting for since the closure in 2005. We are absolutely delighted that option one was chosen. "It means that we get The Grange open 24 hours a day, seven days a week with midwives so that birth and postnatal stays are possible for the women in the Petersfield area. "We will be working with the Portsmouth Hospital Trust to publicise the services at The Grange so that women use them." Residents in the area were consulted from July 23 to October 31, with 505 members of the public out of 640 favouring the option that included Petersfield, with many people attending drop-in sessions across the area at shopping centres, markets, mother and baby groups and community hospitals. Victory for The Grange has come at the expense of Blackbrook in Fareham, which will now close. However, the Primary Care Trust (PCT) will now regularly review birth rates and demand for services to ensure the configuration of birth centres is best placed to meet local needs. If there is a significant change in birth rates or demand, the PCT gave an undertaking to reconsider the development of a birth centre within wave two of the Fareham Community Hospital plans. The board also agreed to work collaboratively with Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, partner organisations and local women to raise the profile of local birth centres as an attractive choice for local mums-to-be. Hampshire PCT preferred and has approved option one because: l It ensures that the purpose built Grange and Blake Birth Centres are retained in areas that are more geographically isolated. l It retains use of the co-located unit, which is one of the most used of the birth centres provided in south east Hampshire. Hampshire PCT area director of commissioning Alex Berry said: "We are pleased that so many residents in the south east of Hampshire came forward to express their views about the PCT's proposed options. "After a thorough consultation with the public and NHS staff, the board has approved option one, which will now go to Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust for their approval. "We feel this option provides the best service and value for money for the residents of South East Hampshire, and should maternity circumstances dramatically change in the area, the PCT has given its commitment to looking at potential future options." The Grange was forced to shut in 2005 due to staff shortages and a lack of funding, but re-opened in a limited capacity in October 2006.